Snehalaya English Medium School

Snehalaya English Medium School, a charity school in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India, has transformed the lives of children living with HIV/AIDS and those from sex worker families, breaking down stigmas and paving the way for a brighter future. With the 70% admissions rate from families outside the charity and a 100% pass rate in their 10th Std, all while carrying out efforts to end second-generation prostitution in their district, Snehalaya English Medium School is rewriting the narrative for marginalised communities in semi-rural India.

With 25% of the school's students being HIV+ and an even higher number being children of sex workers, the school’s students face systemic discrimination.The school overcame initial challenges in recruiting students who did not come from these disadvantaged backgrounds by connecting with village leaders who hosted meetings with parents to openly discuss and allay their concerns. By convincing parents that the school’s benefits and results far outweighed the perceived associated risks, Snehalaya English Medium School managed to recruit a diverse range of students.

Besides bringing this change through affordable and quality education, Snehalaya English Medium School believes in empowering students beyond the classroom, enabling them to learn from changemakers, international volunteers, teachers, leaders, and social workers, inspiring them to become socially aware and accepting. In this way, Snehalaya English Medium School has put an end to second-generation prostitution in its district and is helping many of their children achieve great careers, breaking the cycles of poverty and exploitation.

At the same time, it has invited other schools to visit and use its facilities, further breaking down stereotypes. The school also invited social activists to raise awareness of the issues they were tackling, invoking a sense of responsibility for the world we live in.

Snehalaya English Medium School does not deny, however, that some of its students, due to their circumstances, may require additional attention, and so the school offers sports sessions and playtimes to give students the opportunity to release unspent energy. Additionally, the school has four counsellors on hand for one-to-one support as and when required, both for students and their teachers, families, or caregivers.

If Snehalaya English Medium School wins the World's Best School Prize for Overcoming Adversity, it intends to use the prize to further expand its education programme, enabling more children to benefit from their unique approach to education, promoting inclusivity and breaking down stigmas associated with HIV/AIDS and sex work.