To make education accessible to the children of migrant and non-migrant laborers and slum dwellers in Maharashtra. Email us at info@lead-foundation.org

1. Opening our hearts... To open their minds!

3. What do we do?

4. How do we do it?

5. Some memories down the lane

6. Some financial talks

7. Learning to teach

8. LEAD in Limelight

9. Some of our achievements

10. Women empowerment project

11. Rural Project

12. Other Projects that we are part of

13. Our journey so far

14. Testimonials

16. We primarily work with the children living in the shanties/ street shelters of Airoli and Ghansoli, in Navi-Mumbai, Maharashtra, who hail from the families of construction workers and other daily wagers.

17. We first admit these children into the nearby municipal schools and then strive to provide a cheerful environment for their holistic development so as to prevent their early drop out due to their problems at home.

18. Established in the year July 2008, LEAD has completed its three years of establishment spreading love, education and, in the journey, aspiring others to change destinies.

19. What do we do? Tribal villages Life - skills English and computers

21. Supplementing the education of those children by teaching the basic subjects as well as teaching through extra curriculur activities

23. Trip to Earth mela Tree plantation Rifle Shooting classes Learning about dental and oral hygiene Sports day Origami workshop Learning beyond the boundaries…

24. Some financial talks… *All the expenses listed above are on monthly basis

25. Learning to teach Volunteers training session on effective teaching

26. LEAD in limelight…

28. We are now catering to 4 different slum communities in Airoli without any compromise in quality and loss of encouragement

29. From a humble beginning at hutments/footpaths/temples, we have now moved to or own rented place

33. Majority of the kids at our centres have managed to score more than 80% in the academics

34. Have also started work in tribal villages since Mar 2011

35. Recognition of Ashoka’s Youth Venture ProgramIt 's been over 3 years now and we are proud to say that we have been able to make a significant impact in the lives of over 80 children and even, to an appreciable extent, in the thinking and behavioral patterns of the major stakeholders - their parents.

36. But most importantly our achievement lies… And our endeavour is to….. Create thousands more… in hundreds of smiles

37. Women empowerment projects… Candle making project The candle project was initiated with a plan to provide incremental income to mothers of the children who comes to LEAD everyday LEAD provided training and raw materials for candle making Today, the women in our communities have proven themselves by making high quality candles sold in more than 5 corporate stalls.

38. Tailoring and embroidery classes WISE (Women's Institute for Social Education) project teaches tailoring, embroidery, cooking to the women in our community for free of cost. LEAD arranges to pay only for the raw materials and the conveyance allowances for 2 teachers. The programme aims to equip ladies with special skill sets so that they can become self-dependent

40. Distribution of Nutrition powder to the adolescent girls as well as Anganwadi children (1-6yrs)

41. Distributing educational toys/games/books and computer for the primary school

43. Session on Menstrual Health and hygiene for adolescent girls by Gynecologist

44. Rural project at tribal villages Further, in association with Dr. P N Singh Foundation, LEAD has started ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ project in the secondary school of a similar tribal village, Boradpada, for its 9th and 10th standard students coming from various surrounding villages.

46. Rehabilitation of extremely poor/street children into shelter homes

47. Encouraging kids in some of the shelter homes

49. Avishkar, 25, Telecommunications engineer: “LEAD gave new dimensions to my life, my thinking towards society, people has completely changed. LEAD has helped me to grow as an individual; it feelssatisfying to work for my country and its people.”

50. Vinita Shah, 37, puppetier : “Sitting under the shade of a lush green tree, having an impromptu story telling session (with kids in LEAD) is one of the finest memories I cherish. It hasbeen a wonderful come back to teaching by being with LEAD. It is wonderful afeeling to see the million dollar smiles and gleaming eyes looting the littlepleasures of learning with fun!”Sanjana, Class 6th“I don’t feel good on the days I don’t come to LEAD” Anjali, Class 5th“Teachers, here, are like our friends and weshare our problems with them. They understand us and help us.” Rajesh, Class 8th, “I used to sort junk before, but Rupesh sir brought me here in LEAD. Now I only study and I want to grow up to become someone great. Before coming to LEAD I did not know how to talk well or study but the teachers here taught me that. I study, play, paint, make new things here. All the teachers are great here.” Tulsiram, Class 4th “I like coming to LEAD, I was silent before butteachers say now I have started talking a lot. Teachers here love us and do not hit us. I also take the help of the teachers here for school homework. I also like the food we get here and also like the games we play here.”

52. Volunteering with LEAD involves a lot of multitasking but it also gives us the opportunity to work with the diverse team, freedom to use our skills, execute our ideas and stretch our capacities in a manner of our liking. And hence, we succeed in transforming our volunteers into LEADers.

53. When we started out, we were just individuals who taught some kids in our area, there was no professional social worker, no NGO & not even a thought about funds. We just focused on educating our kids and everything else followed. Similarly, each one of us can make a difference if we put our minds and more importantly our hearts into it. So take the plunge & start doing something; because just intentions don’t matter!

54. Some generous donations in kind

57. Employees’ time donation to share their skills with kids at our centre

58. Sponsor a specific programme

59. Adopt an area