About Our Mission

Just like a seed, children have the potential to grow into something unique and extraordinary which is highly influenced by their environmental conditions. Children need nurturing spaces that are safe, resourceful, and rooted in community. Bija — which means seed — is our way of honouring each child’s individuality. Learning here is not just about textbooks, but about engaging with life. In our community-based centres and partner schools, children explore art, crafts, stories, and local materials in ways that spark curiosity and confidence. Whether sewing a cloth bag, painting on leaf plates, or asking why plastic has replaced traditional materials, the aim is to make learning joyful and rooted in real life. We work closely with children from migrant and marginalised families in Bangalore North. The centres are set up within the community itself, making them spaces that the community can ‘own’. Parents are not just bystanders — they are invited to learn alongside their children and share their own skills. Over time, families begin to see education as something that belongs to everyone, not only the school. Through the program we aspire in creating an interlinked system of education which connects school to the community and where everyone contributes to the system. Our trained facilitators guide children using books, worksheets, play and art materials, and many hands-on projects. Activities are often drawn from the local environment — using stones to learn numbers, shells for wall art, or traditional crafts to build fine motor and creative skills. Alongside, we hold regular teacher meetings and workshops, ensuring that facilitators are constantly reflecting, learning, and bringing fresh ideas into the centres. Nutrition and care are also part of our vision. Each centre provides simple weekly snacks, reinforcing the idea that children’s learning and well-being go hand in hand. Children also step beyond their centres through field trips, exposure to theatre, and other cultural experiences that broaden their horizons and connect learning to the wider world. Again and again, we see children come alive when they work with their hands, think about their community, and feel safe to explore. Bija is a space where education is not just preparation for the future, but a way of living meaningfully in the present.