In 2024, AIF’s Learning and Migration Program (LAMP) launched in the Devadurga block of Karnataka’s Raichur district, a region heavily impacted by drought, poverty, and limited job opportunities. Parents here often find themselves forced to participate in distressed seasonal migration, pulling their children out of school to relocate. While this enables consistent income to sustain the family in the short term, it limits their child’s opportunities and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
At AIF, we aim to help families not just survive, but thrive. Together with the generous support from the Guru Krupa Foundation Inc., AIF began bridging learning gaps in rural India due to this loss of learning time, laying the groundwork for inclusive, resilient classroom environments in some of Devadurga’s most migration-affected villages.
Literacy is the cornerstone of education, unlocking access to other subjects; therefore, foundational literacy is a pillar of our remediation work with these students. This tough task is even tougher as 95% of mothers and 30% of fathers in this block lack basic literacy skills. The gains here after just one year are striking, particularly so with Grade 7 students; the same students who started the school year with an average score of 16.6 in language reached an impressive 81 by the end of the school year. This nearly five-fold increase illustrates the potential of focused interventions, better teaching practices, and increased student engagement. In the coming months, our team plans to roll out low-literacy parental engagement modules, including audio- and video-based guidance on supporting children’s learning, to build on this key progress.
The success of these children depends on the support of their entire community. Parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders are urged to take an active role in learning remediation through AIF-organized School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) training sessions. The SDMC members engaged in insightful conversations about the Right to Education Act, co-created school development plans, and, most importantly, began to see their role as powerful stakeholders in their children’s futures.
These aren’t isolated moments; they are a part of a broader movement toward community-led education for migrant children in India. Parents are informed, ask questions, support teachers, and help shape more accountable and nurturing school environments. Communities are inspired to create educational enrichment for migration-impacted families. Over the next two academic years, LAMP will reach over 7,000 migrant children across government schools.
AIF’s LAMP program works diligently in the most migrant-prone areas to bridge learning gaps, strengthen retention, and ensure no child is excluded because of circumstances, one child at a time.
We are deeply grateful to the Education Department of Karnataka, the dedicated school staff, the communities of Devadurga, and the Guru Krupa Foundation, for their steadfast belief that community-powered education can transform lives.
