Founded in 2015 by Akash Tandon and a group of passionate volunteers, Pehchaan The Street School has transformed from a modest initiative educating ten children on Delhi’s streets to a thriving organisation with over 10 centres serving more than 1,600 underprivileged children across Delhi NCR.
The school delivers free education using a volunteer-driven model, emphasizing academic learning, creative arts, and life skills to help children break the cycle of poverty.
Supported by 800+ volunteers and achieving a 94% pass rate among board exam students, Pehchaan aims to provide every child not just knowledge but identity and dignity through education.
The organisation also integrates vocational training, healthcare, and community engagement in its model, earning multiple awards including the Times of India Changemaker Award (2023) and the NITI Aayog Social Impact Award (2024).
The Birth of an Idea: Education Beyond Classrooms
Pehchaan, meaning ‘Identity,’ started as a reaction to witnessing children begging and working on Delhi’s streets with no formal access to education. Founder Akash Tandon, a young professional frustrated with transient social work, sought a permanent solution.
The humble beginnings involved teaching basic literacy and life skills under flyovers, footpaths, and parks with limited resources whiteboards, mats, and donated books.
This grassroots education was open to all children without typical schooling barriers like admission tests or fees. Over time, the teaching became more structured but retained informal, trauma-informed approaches to address the specific challenges of street and slum children.
Kanika Narula, a senior volunteer and educator at Pehchaan, explains, “Our focus is not just academic. We nurture a child’s passion through music, dance, arts, and yoga, which is essential to build their confidence and communication skills. This holistic approach creates visible positive transformations in children’s behaviour and aspirations.”
Breaking Barriers: Access and Inclusivity
Institutionalized education in India often excludes marginalized children due to commodification, costs, and rigid curricula. Pehchaan’s model circumvents these barriers by operating without fixed classrooms, relying on community spaces and volunteer educators ranging from college interns to young professionals.
The organisation issues ID cards to students, maintains attendance and progress tracking, and follows a customised curriculum that is skill-based and contextually relevant.
This transparency and formality build trust among sceptical parents and communities, gradually shifting mindsets towards valuing education as a path to independence.
Stories like Deepak’s exemplify this shift. Once a street child hesitant to attend school, Deepak now studies at Delhi University the first in his community to do so. His journey from the streets to university showcases the transformative power of sustained educational support and community encouragement at Pehchaan.
Community Engagement: Volunteers and Impact
At Pehchaan, over 800 volunteers actively contribute by teaching, mentoring, organising cultural events, and providing life skills workshops. College students join as interns for three months, conducting regular classes and counselling sessions.
The organisation also offers healthcare support, financial aid for higher education, and legal awareness programs. This extensive community involvement has created a nurturing ecosystem where former students often return as volunteers, completing a virtuous cycle that strengthens social bonds.
The NGO has successfully integrated vocational training with academics to prepare children for economic independence. These efforts have led to a dramatic increase in literacy and employability among children who would otherwise have remained outside the formal system.
Recognitions and Future Visions
Pehchaan The Street School’s impact has been acknowledged through prestigious awards like the National Youth Icon Award (2019), Karamveer Chakra (2021), Times of India Changemaker Award (2023), and the NITI Aayog Award for Social Impact (2024). These recognitions underscore the NGO’s commitment to creating sustainable educational models that transcend conventional schooling.
Looking ahead, the organisation plans to expand beyond Delhi NCR into other regions with educational disparities such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan.
Future initiatives include setting up residential learning centres for homeless children, enhancing digital literacy training, and introducing dedicated mental health support services. These steps seek to deepen Pehchaan’s mission to restore dignity and identity to every child through holistic education.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Pehchaan The Street School stands as a beacon of hope, reflecting the power of empathy, kindness, and community resilience in challenging systemic inequities in education. Its grassroots approach epitomises values central to The Logical Indian: uplifting the vulnerable through dialogue, respect, and action rooted in compassion.
By focusing on the whole child addressing academic, emotional, and social needs Pehchaan nurtures not just learners but future agents of change. How can communities across India and beyond support or replicate such models to create inclusive, peaceful societies where every child has the opportunity to claim their identity and thrive?
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