Gram Chetna Kendra, which translates to Village Awareness Center, was formed in the year 1986 by the group of socially conscious individuals, under the leadership of Mr. Om Prakash Sharma. It is located 50 km away from Jaipur and covers the community of the Sambhar Lake block. They work extensively with children who are affected by the movement of their parents whose work involves salt extraction near the Sambhar lake.

The scenario of education in the area seems to be characterized by the persistence of illiteracy, low level of enrolment in formal education and a high dropout rate, specifically for girls. GCK has been implementing programs for basic education to improve the educational status of the area. The goal of the program is to develop a program of quality education for all children (universal coverage) through community participation and empowerment of mainstream education systems in the villages of the program area. It emphasizes on ensuring enrolment and retention of children in schools, facilitating access to quality of education, and ensuring community participation in the program.

Through our 29 States, 29 Children’s Libraries campaign, they received a library-in-a-classroom kit. The Library-in-a-Classroom (LIC), is literally a library on the wall, with 125+ enjoyable children’s books, attractively displayed and provides a print rich environment for children.Take a look at the pictures below to see how the kit is being used at Gram Chetna Kendra.