DSS aims to combat illiteracy in communities of construction sites workers in Maharashtra.
The real estate boom in India has resulted in numerous construction sites in many of the major Indian cities. In Pune alone, there are over 1,500 such construction sites which in turn demands a huge labor force most often comprised of illiterate villagers from the neighboring states. These laborers and their families live close to the construction sites in labor camps or slums. Children from these families do not attend school due to factors such as poverty, accessibility to education and lack of motivation and as a result a large number of kids are left out of the formal school system.
From one of the surveys by DSS in Pune, an estimated 40,000 children at such construction sites had no access to education.
DSS believes that if a child cannot go to school, then the school should be taken to the doorstep of the child. DSS seeks to educate illiterate children at these construction sites through their uniquely designed programs so that these children can have the opportunity to be a part of the formal education system.
Focus Areas :
Imparting non-formal education (NFE) to children of construction worker
Objectives
The main objectives of DSS are:
Key achievements:

Solution
DSS seeks to educate illiterate children of construction sites in Pune through their uniquely designed programs so that these children can have the opportunity to be a part of the formal education system.
Vibha-DSS Partnership
Vibha-DSS Partnership started in 2006 and Vibha has gradually increased its commitment to DSS since then every passing year.
Project Partners’ voice:
“Vibha is supporting us in a big way. Today we are working with more than 75 constructions sites, out of which more than 30 are supported by Vibha…With the help of Vibha, we also started working with the builder communities, who give us space for running after school classes for migrant communities’ children….”
– Bhavna Kulkarni, Director of DSS, Pune