Status: More than a third of Hyderabad's population lives in slums. There are 1179 slums officially identified by the GHMC. The slums continue to grow at the rate of 6.06% per annum. The primary sources of livelihood include housekeeping, autorickshaws, blue collar work and street vending. Children: Overcrowded settlement and living conditions make academic excellence a challenge. Financial constraints and safety concerns put off education at an early age for most children. These children are involved in household chores, child labour, child marriage What we do: Holistic development of less-privileged children. Courses offered are: Academics, Self Defense, Vocational Training and Personality Development with a special focus on: Health and Hygiene, Nutrition Awareness, Career Counseling and Extra Curricular Activities. Process: TKF volunteers visit recognized slum areas, and identify student groups from Govt. Mentors are identified from a single slum, and are employed. A "Kalam Kendra" is established in a local hall or study space. Mentors provide after-school support to students for 2 hours per day. Each center has about 25 children. Attendance is recorded daily. How you can help: Volunteer regularly at our centers and assist with teaching. Train our mentors and volunteers and interact with them quarterly or half-yearly. Sponsors in the form of individuals or groups to support a centre. Financial Assistance: Cost of each Kalam Center: Rs 90,000/year. You can contribute as much as possible and opt for sponsor and visit specific centres. Ways you can support: Adopt 1 center per year = Rs 90,000 Donate library (one time) = Rs 6000 per student Donate student kits (bags, books, pens one time) = Rs 500. Sponsor a child at Kalam Kendra @ Rs.300 per month