Beyond the Classroom : SIP Chronicles. Magazine by PGDM Batch 34.
THE ONES WHO CAME BACK
On bringing children back to school — and what it actually takes
By Sagar Joy | PGDM Batch 34, FK- 4078
“It begins with a few absences, then a failed exam, followed by the quiet shame of falling behind, until the street becomes a place that asks nothing and offers just enough to feel like belonging.”
This is the child the HOPE programme by Nanma Foundation exists for. It reaches children between the ages of 12 and 18 who have dropped out, failed exams, or drifted toward substance use, not because they lack ability, but because they were not supported at the right moment. What HOPE offers is simple and rare at the same time, someone who does not give up on them. At Nanma’s centre in Kakkanad, Kochi, I sat with students preparing for their examinations, many of whom had once failed or never attempted them. They did not seem different from any other students. They were focused, perhaps a little quieter, but present and trying. Across Kerala, more than 2,000 such students have successfully completed their Class 10 or Class 12 examinations through the HOPE programme. These are not just second chances but real beginnings that reshape the course of young lives. Working closely with the Kerala Police and local schools, HOPE identifies children who have slipped through the cracks. It then provides consistent and patient support through bridge courses, counselling, and challenges these children motivation.
The face are rarely academic alone. Many carry the weight of failure, addiction, fear, or the absence of guidance. HOPE meets them where they are and helps them move forward.
During a workshop at SDPY Boys Higher Secondary School in Palluruthy, speakers addressed students on substance abuse, discipline, and the consequences of early choices. The room was unusually still because the stories shared were real and deeply familiar to those listening.
Kerala presents a striking paradox. It is one of India’s most literate states, yet it faces rising school dropout rates and increasing youth crime. These are not separate issues. When a child loses connection with education, they often lose a sense of direction and belonging, making them vulnerable to harmful promise acceptance influences that What Nanma Foundation does is not dramatic or attention-seeking. It is steady and consistent. It is a teacher who shows up every day, a counsellor who listens without judgment, and a coordinator who follows up when a child misses a class. These small, repeated efforts quietly rebuild lives.
Bringing a child back to school is not only about education. It is about restoring their sense of belonging and helping them believe in a future once again. That is what the HOPE programme does, one student at a time, and over time, it makes all the difference.