Brick-kiln children in Bajali were the reason Puhor began. In early 2023, a grassroots survey by Jan Briddhi Foundation found that children of migrant brick-kiln workers in Bajali and Barpeta were slipping through the cracks. Their makeshift classrooms inside the kilns had almost no books.
A community book drive
We started by collecting books from individuals, schools and well-wishers. Bundles of gently used textbooks, storybooks and workbooks soon arrived.
16 April 2023: books reach the kilns
On 16 April 2023 we distributed the books directly to children at six brick-kiln centres in Bajali district: ABI, SBI, HBI, BBI, ANUP and JBI.
Mohalla Classes
Books only help if they are read. So we began Mohalla Classes: open, interactive neighbourhood sessions where children gather to read, learn and express themselves.
Why brick-kiln children miss school
Brick kilns in Bajali run for only about six months a year. Parents who migrate for the work usually bring their children, so schooling stops, and the risks of child labour and early marriage rise.
What Mohalla Classes add
Mohalla Classes are open, interactive neighbourhood sessions where brick-kiln children gather to read, learn and express themselves. They turn a pile of donated books into a habit of reading.
What came next
Three weeks later we set up the first Floating Libraries with Pratham Books. The network has grown to 12 libraries, all still running.
Puhor, which means light in Assamese, is our education programme for children the system misses. It began in 2023 with books for children of migrant brick-kiln workers and now runs 12 Floating Libraries, Mohalla Classes and free JNVST and NMMSE coaching every year.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the books for brick-kiln children go?
To six kiln centres in Bajali district: ABI, SBI, HBI, BBI, ANUP and JBI.
How can I donate books?
Write to contact@janbriddhi.org.in to arrange a drop-off or pick-up.
How you can help
- Donate to Puhor: any amount, with an 80G receipt if you add your PAN.
- Volunteer with us in Bajali and Barpeta.
- Companies can fund Puhor through CSR.
About Puhor
Puhor, which means light in Assamese, is the education programme of Jan Briddhi Foundation. It has two strands that run every year.
Books and Floating Libraries reach the children of seasonal brick-kiln workers in Bajali, Mandia, Chenga and Barpeta through book donation drives, portable libraries set up with Pratham Books, and Mohalla Classes where children read and learn together. Mentoring and coaching reach rural students through free JNVST coaching for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya admission, free NMMSE coaching for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship, and guidance for government job aspirants.
Results are reported year by year: more than 120 children received books in 2022-23, 12 Floating Libraries are running today, 7 students cleared the JNV entrance test in 2023-24, and more than 150 students won NMMS scholarships up to July 2022. See the Puhor programme.
About Jan Briddhi Foundation
Jan Briddhi Foundation is a registered Section 8 not-for-profit company in Bajali, Assam, working since 2022 where help is hardest to reach: brick-kiln camps, flood-hit villages and rural schools. It runs four programmes: the Green Plate Initiative, Puhor, Disaster Relief and NearBlood. It holds 12AB and 80G registrations, so donations are tax-deductible for donors who add their PAN, and is CSR-1 registered. Read our impact reports.
Support Puhor. Read more about the programme, or help it grow.
