Puhor: books and learning for children the system misses
“Puhor” means light in Assamese. Puhor brings books and Floating Libraries to brick-kiln children in Bajali and Barpeta, and runs free JNVST and NMMSE coaching every year.
Childhoods that move every season.
In the brick kilns of Bajali and Barpeta, children of migrant workers move from site to site, and their learning keeps breaking. In early 2023, our survey of kiln education centres found makeshift classrooms with almost no books. What the children needed was not only access, but continuity.
Books that travel with the children.
From one book drive in April 2023 to 12 Floating Libraries, all still running.
Book donation drives
Gently used textbooks, storybooks and workbooks, collected and taken to kiln and migration centres.
Floating Libraries
Portable libraries, set up with Pratham Books, that travel where the children travel.
Mohalla Classes
Open neighbourhood sessions where children read, learn and speak up, so the books are used.
Continuity
All 12 libraries are running across Bajali, Mandia, Chenga and Barpeta.
Six kiln centres
Books reach children at six brick-kiln centres in Bajali; Mohalla Classes begin.
First libraries
Three Floating Libraries with Pratham Books.
Mandia
Five libraries at Mandia Migration Centre.
Chenga & Barpeta
Two libraries at each centre.
Back to Bajali
A second book donation with Pratham Books.
12 running
Updates for 2024–26 coming soon.
Every book reaches a child who asked for one.
Our volunteers take the books into kiln centres themselves, and Mohalla Classes make sure they are read.
Free coaching, every year.
Free JNVST coaching for admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and NMMSE coaching for the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship run every year and are still going, alongside guidance for government job aspirants.
| Year | JNVST coaching | NMMSE coaching | Government job mentoring |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 and 2025-26 | Running; results coming soon | Running; results coming soon | — |
| 2023-24 | 35 mentored, 7 cleared the JNV entrance test | Students from Bajali district schools mentored | 18 aspirants guided |
| 2022-23 | 43 coached, 5 admitted to JNV | Nearly 100 students coached | — |
| Up to July 2022 | 30 coached, 3 admitted to JNV | 150+ students won NMMS scholarships | 150 coached, 20+ now in government service |
Free awareness sessions on NMMSE, NTSE and JNVST reached 50+ schools in Bajali and Sorbhog before 2022, and continue every year.
Quizzes that build confidence.
We run inter-school quizzes on special days. The Independence Day quiz at Bhattadev University drew students from schools across the district.
About Puhor.
What is a Floating Library?
A portable collection of books that moves with migrant children between kiln and migration centres, so their reading doesn't stop when their families move.
Who can join JNVST and NMMSE coaching?
Students from rural and underprivileged families in Bajali and nearby districts. Coaching is free and runs every year; new batches start ahead of each exam.
How can I donate books?
Contact us to arrange a drop-off or pick-up. We accept gently used textbooks, storybooks and workbooks.
Can my company sponsor a Floating Library?
Yes. Education is a CSR Schedule VII area; see our CSR partnership page.
