MUKESH- My journey from Apna Skool to Azim Premji University

I, like my fellow villagers from Ranchi, used to migrate seasonally along with his parents to brick kilns of Kanpur, UP for livelihood. My family used to engage in the process of taking out the baked bricks from the kilns and transporting them. While our stay in Kalra 1 brick kiln in Tatiyaganj area of Kanpur, I was enrolled in Apna Skool, a network of education centers for the children of migrant workers in brick kilns in Kanpur. Charmed by their innovative methods of learning, I attended the Apna skool education centre there when I got free from assisting my parents in their work. Completing my studies in Apna Skool till Class 4, I got selected in the first batch of kids in Apna Ghar, a residential hostel where the kids stay year-long so that their studies go on un-interrupted while their parents migrate back to their native place. Along with studies, I used to participate in dramatics and writing poems.

I completed my education till Class 12 while staying in Apna Ghar from 2006 to 2014, and then enrolled myself for graduation. I was taken by Apna Kendra- supported by RV Foundation- to allow me to focus on my studies along with preparation for Azim Premji University. I also worked as a teacher in Apna Skool during my graduation, teaching kids like myself for whom education was the only tool to break away from the vicious cycle of brick-kilns.

I applied for MA (Education) program at Azim Premji University and cleared the written exam held on January 22, 2017. Then I appeared for the interview at Patna on March 03 and got selected in that too. Now, I will be joining the Bengaluru campus this month for a new journey.