JanPragati is a noble initiative by young people. This love movement has its origin when a group of young friends witnessed the horrors of poverty. In 2007, there were heavy monsoonal rains wherein, at a particular area of Lucknow, waters of massive proportion usurped the hamlets of many poor people who lived along the banks of a sewage canal.  While serving food to displaced families with children, these young people witnessed the crippling hands of the poverty. They were also affected wholesomely. The impact then grew stronger to a passion to serve the poor. However, though the nascent passion still gripped the serving spirit of these youngsters, a concrete idea or plan for selfless service did not materialize until early 2011. By then, these youngsters had already formed a small group named Last Stitch. They were united through the charitable teachings of Jesus. What inspired them was Jesus’ exhortation to transform the community with the Love of God. This was the birth of JanPragati. They did not have to wait long before opportunity knocked at their door.

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Launched on the auspicious National Children’s Day (November 14) in 2011, JanPragati  began a small school of 15 children, sitting under the shelter of a bare tree. The history of this movement traces back to a daunting search for a particular slum boy. In that particular search, we accidentally came across a group of families clumped together in a settlement in Gomti Nagar Extension, near the present day Shaheed Path. There were children all around, and they clustered around us, as if to ask us to help them. Not a single child was going to school. On inquiry, we saw the opportunity  to make a difference. This is the story of Pragati Paathshala.

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Those were the dark days of JP, where our immature understanding made little progress. As much as it was a noble work, there was no direction. We were just taking a stroll through social work. It took around two years for us to understand the culture and social dynamics of the slum. Further research made clear a few things: these people were isolated even within the crowded urbanity.  Therefore, any form of education would have to to be informal and within the friendly ambience of the slum. Most families were dysfunctional, with abuse often being considered normal. Education for children would not have any effect until families, and consequently the community as a whole, were to be socially reformed.

These experiential illuminations resulted in the creation of an indigenous and sui generis form of education system by us, particularly catering to the needs of slum dwellers. A second result was the beginning of a new programme named Bhamini.