Rickshaw puller's daughter brings Rs 100 coaching to 7,650 rural children

Shiksha Saathi is a rural education initiative founded by Archana Jaisal. It offers affordable after-school coaching to children who attend school but may still need help with basic lessons. The programme matters because private coaching can be too expensive for many rural families.

Classes cover students from Class 1 through Class 12. Fees begin at Rs 100 for younger children and rise to Rs 600 for Class 12 students. Children from financially disadvantaged families can attend without paying. Teachers explain concepts according to each child’s learning level.

The initiative brings learning support closer to children in villages. It also creates teaching opportunities for local girls and women. By helping children understand difficult subjects and build confidence, Shiksha Saathi supports both education and local economic independence.

Shiksha Saathi operates at a substantial rural scale. It has more than 78 learning centres across six districts of Uttar Pradesh. These centres reach over 7,650 students and are supported by 67 teachers. The network brings coaching into communities that may have limited access to affordable academic help.

The fees depend on the student’s class. Younger children pay from Rs 100 a month, while coaching for Class 12 students costs up to Rs 600. Children from financially disadvantaged families can attend without paying. This structure keeps the service affordable while allowing the centres to operate.

The initiative also reported that more than 740 women have completed its teacher-training programme. Its centres operate in Bhadohi, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Mau and Ghazipur, combining student support with local employment opportunities.

Archana Jaisal is the founder of the rural education initiative Shiksha Saathi. She grew up seeing education transform her family’s circumstances. Her father, Jagdish Ram, lost his father young and began pulling a rickshaw at 17 while continuing his studies.

A fellow rickshaw puller noticed Jagdish studying and suggested that he apply for a railway job. Jagdish got the job, later moved to Varanasi, and took extra work while establishing his career. After his death, Archana’s family faced financial hardship, and her elder sister helped support the household and pay tuition.

Archana completed graduation and post-graduation in Economics at Banaras Hindu University. When she saw children struggling with basic questions and educated village women lacking work opportunities, she acted. She launched Your Coaching in 2022, formally registered as Shiksha Saathi in 2023.

Shiksha Saathi trains rural girls and women to become local teachers. The programme responds to two needs at once: children require extra academic support, while educated women in villages often have limited employment opportunities. Training helps participants teach children according to their individual learning levels.

Neetu became a Shiksha Saathi teacher at 19. She was initially nervous about teaching, but training and classroom support helped her gain confidence. She now earns around Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 each month. Her income allows her to pay for her own studies and coaching instead of asking her family for money.

More than 740 women have reportedly completed the programme. By placing trained teachers in local centres, Shiksha Saathi keeps learning support close to children and creates income opportunities for women. The model links community education with greater financial independence.

Affordable coaching can give children focused support that changes how they approach learning. It can help them understand difficult concepts, ask questions freely and build confidence. For women teachers, the same initiative can provide training, paid work and a path toward financial independence.

Riya, a 10-year-old who attended the institute for three years, once felt afraid of Maths. Her teachers explained concepts and answered her questions. Maths became her favourite subject, and she now hopes to become a teacher. Neetu’s experience shows the benefit for teachers: she gained confidence and earns around Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 monthly.

These changes can spread through communities. Children may begin imagining new careers, while women can use their earnings for their own studies and coaching. Shiksha Saathi also holds youth competitions that encourage children to think about ambitions and future careers.

After-school coaching may be necessary because school attendance alone does not guarantee that every child understands the lessons. Archana saw children in her extended family struggling with basic questions even in Class 7. Many needed additional academic support but could not afford expensive private coaching.

Shiksha Saathi addresses this gap with classes for students from Classes 1 to 12. Teachers receive training to explain concepts according to children’s learning levels. Riya’s experience shows the mechanism: after teachers answered her questions and clarified Maths concepts, a subject she feared became her favourite.

The initiative makes this extra support more accessible by charging from Rs 100 for younger children and allowing financially disadvantaged children to attend free. Its local centres reach children across six Uttar Pradesh districts, helping families find coaching closer to home instead of relying on costly options.

Education can improve a family’s economic opportunities by building skills that open access to better work. Jagdish Ram studied while pulling a rickshaw to support his family. After applying for a railway job, he secured it and gained a more stable way to provide for his children.

His story also shows how one person’s progress can support others. After Jagdish died, Archana’s elder sister began earning to help the household and pay tuition. Archana later completed postgraduate studies in Economics and used her experience to start an education initiative. Shiksha Saathi now trains rural women to teach and earn locally.

This creates a possible cycle across generations. Children receive affordable academic support and may develop confidence to pursue future careers. Women gain income and independence. Archana describes every child who believes in their abilities as continuing the opportunity her father fought to secure.