Aaranyak

Meaning “born of the forest,” Aaranyak reflects the spirit of Narmada District’s remote tribal communities. Co-creating an education model relevant to tribal realities—one that preserves identity, builds agency, and empowers tribal children to break free from generations of poverty and inequality.

Aaranyak goes beyond textbooks to create safe, inclusive learning spaces that nurture strengths, build life skills, and break cycles of poverty and inequal

The Issue

For generations, Adivasi (tribal) communities in Gujarat’s Narmada district have lived in harmony with the forests, their identity deeply tied to the land. The community still remain trapped in cycles of poverty, alcoholism, early marriage, suicides, and teenage pregnancies—disruptions that have stalled their upward mobility and left children especially vulnerable.

Contextual Barriers faced by tribal children

As majority are first-generation learners
Disconnected from tribal realities
Alcoholism, abuse, early marriage, suicides

We believe every child is unique, with their own passions, learning styles, and pace of growth. Yet most tribal children struggle to access even basic schooling, let alone quality, child-centred education. Aaranyak was launched in 2018 on a mission to build a sustainable, inclusive model that enables tribal and marginalised children to discover their strengths, nurture their potential, and break out of generational cycles of poverty & inequality.

Methodology

Play – based, experiential learning sessions

focussed on child-rights awareneness, building life skills, adolescent empowerment, personal safety, mental well-being, foundations to joyful learning.

Interventions

Aamli Timli
(Ages – 5-11)

Aamli-Timli creates child-friendly learning spaces. Daily sessions before school hours engage grades 1–5 in activities, games, and puzzles to build foundations in language, numeracy, and environment, while older students join discussions on adolescent awareness, relationships, and leadership.
Adolescent Empowerment
(Ages – 13-18)

Sessions cover life skills, child rights and adolescent protection sessions in for children aged 10-15 years. The programme also guides children to make informed and safe choices while avoiding risky behaviours like early marriages, teenage pregnancies and substance abuse.