The two-year-old organisation regularly works with government schools, shelter homes and students from rural communities. “The complaints always centered on kids dropping out of school, and the parents didn’t seem to have much awareness either. Various factors influence them but mostly peer pressure to try alcohol or drugs and so on,” he explained. 

Along with his team, he developed a strategy to counter the problem. “We needed funds to create content for our workshops with them, equipment like projectors, digitize the process, etc. Secondly, we needed more student volunteers as most of us also work full-time. So, we approached colleges students and asked if they were willing to donate money to the campaign via a crowd-funding link and use their spare time to volunteer,” Balakumaran said.

In return, the NGO featured the volunteers on its website, blog, e-magazines, promote their talents and help find opportunities for them through its network of sponsors and well-wishers. 

The NGO has recently got in touch with the College of Engineering in Guindy. “The long-term plan is to have students from every college in Tamil Nadu volunteer for us and help children realise the importance of education,” he concluded.