
WHO WE ARE
Founded in 2013, Dhai Akshar serves as an after-school holistic learning centre in Versova, Mumbai, where we go above and beyond to provide underprivileged children with an empowering environment where they can fully embrace their identity and gain all the extra-curricular skills that are overlooked in their regular schools. At Dhai Akshar, we believe that children are the very essence of the future. Who they are tomorrow is essentially the outcome of how they are nurtured today. Our vision stems from the fundamental belief in equal and equitable opportunities for all children, and the conviction that love can transform lives.
Translation:
Scholars were never made from reading countless books, but the one who understands love is greater than any learned man
"Pothi padh padh jag mua,
Pandit bhayo na koye,
Dhai akshar prem ke,
Jo padhe so pandit hoye"
- Kabir
Our goal is to provide a safe, stimulating learning environment for at-risk children where they can exercise their basic rights to free and happy childhoods. More than anything, Dhai Akshar is a hub for kids to come and have fun after school. At the same time, we aim at teaching them the fundamentals of social responsibility, healthy and sustainable living, and sensitivity towards people of all societal intersections through a myriad of classes and workshops - to enable these children to love, to play, to dream, and to grow.
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WHAT WE DO
lighting lives lovingly
since 2013
At Dhai Akshar, we strive to empower the children through our wide range of programs. Our dedicated and diverse team of teachers and volunteers bring in their expertise to create a wonderful space for over 70 children to hone their talents, and enjoy the process of learning.
ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE
We help the children every day with languages, mathematics, and exam preparation.
The Resource Room helps them grasp concepts from their syllabus and introduce them to a world of new ideas. Know more about the program here.
We also have collaborations with Om Puri Foundation and other generous individuals for academic scholarships and funding.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Weekly cleaning of Versova beach, in-house psychological counseling for the children, participation in various competitions, sponsored trips to museums, movies, plays and more!
WEEKLY CLASSES
Currently, we offer weekly classes in Iyengar Yoga, Hindustani Classical Music, Art & Craft, Dance, Theatre, Self-Defense, Mathematics, Hindi, English, Library Reading, Games & Puzzles, and Resource Room Learning
WORKSHOPS
Through the years, we have held workshops in Animation, Sound Design, Photography & Photoshop, Sex Education, Beatboxing, Creative Writing, Scriptwriting, and Storytelling, to name a few
WHY WE'RE HERE
Our founders used to volunteer at a school in the locality, and realized that the harsh reality of the urban poor in Mumbai is one where systemic and societal barriers do not encourage children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to study once they are back home from school. As a result, students are either barely passing their classes or dropping out of school due to familial responsibilities, and some cannot even be convinced to go back. These children need training in life skills to be able to earn a respectable living for themselves and their families.
While there are lots of organizations in the grassroots doing phenomenal work in filling in the academic gap, we are here to provide children with multidisciplinary vocational training so that they may pursue these talents professionally, if they are unable to or choose not to go to college.
Want to know how you can help?


OUR IMPACT
At Dhai Akshar, we have been closely involved with our ever-growing community, and have involved them in every step of the development that we provide. Thanks to our friends and well-wishers, we have been able to enrich our children's lives not just at the centre, but beyond it as well.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate | Volunteer | Collaborate
Dhai Akshar is a registered Trust with 12A and 80G certifications.
Since 2013, we have impacted the lives of children in Versova and we couldn’t have done it without the generous contributions of our donors, supporters, and volunteers.
This video by a former volunteer shows the kind of impact a single person can have on our children. We encourage student volunteers to spend their time at the centre.
More importantly, however, we require funds to continue doing what we do.
Would you like to support our work? Are you an organization that would like to collaborate with us? Do you wish to volunteer your time at our centre?

OUR TEAM
Meet the hearts & minds behind our operations!

NYLA MASOOD Co-Founder/Managing Trustee

SHAHLA RAZA Co-Founder

SUHAIL MASOOD Trustee

SANGEETA BHASIN Trustee

MUKTA KUNTE Trustee

PRABHJYOT ADVANI Trustee

EKTA LADE Programme Coordinator

SONIKA LAKHERA Education Consultant

ASHWINI NAWALE Teacher & Accountant

UMESH SINGH Teacher

ADITI SINGH Teacher

KAJAL DEWADE Teacher

SHAILA SHIVSHARAN Staff

HANA MASOOD Communications & Content Advisor

BHAWANA SOMAAYA Advisor

ALI FAZAL Advisor

DR. FARRUKH S. WARIS Advisor

SOPHY VSIVARAMAN Advisor

IN THE MEDIA
The Better India, 14 August 2015
Newsgram, 19 August 2015
DNA, 29 February 2016
DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter, October 2016
Mayapuri Cut, October 2017

TESTIMONIALS
INSTAGRAM GALLERY
CONTACT US
DROP IN AT:
12, Machlimaar, JP Road,
Near Ganpati Mandir,
Aram Nagar 2,
Versova, Andheri (W)
Mumbai 400061
Mon-Sat 12:00pm-5:00pm
Nyla: +919820087571