Khelghar

Khelghar! It’s a dream! Of the curious eyes searching for long-lasting moments of joy! Of the minds in quest of knowledge! In short, of the little ones seeking love and care! Who are these children? How did they find this play home? Who took them under the wings and cared for them? Who showed them the light of wisdom?

“Education for the deprived” is a motto of the “Khelghar” project; currently, around 120 children participate in the activities of Khelghar. All of these children live in a slum area named “Laxminagar, Kothrud, Pune”.

Khelghar is one of the key projects of Palakneeti Pariwar trust. The trust has greatly contributed in evolving and promoting the concept of Social Parenting, which extends the idea of parental care from individual to public sphere. The essence of social parenting lies in helping those in need. Khelghar is founded and built on this idea.        

Khelghar dreams of a society where all our children get caring and enabling environment to blossom. Overall personality development of a child is influenced by many factors like the surrounding environment, sense of security and happiness they experience, appropriate and timely answers to their problems, encouragement to learn, and a loving-caring company of adults. Unfortunately, today’s world throws many questions around these factors. 

The children residing in Laxminagar slum in Kothrud area of Pune city are no exception to this widespread reality. The children here are deprived of a happy childhood. Khelghar aspires to alter this situation by making growing and learning more enjoyable and meaningful for these children.

All the activities and work of Khelghar are managed and furthered by teachers and volunteers.

The values we uphold in Khelghar :

  •  We strive to maintain child friendly environment
  • Discipline is accomplished neither by punishments nor incentives, but through self regulated behavior
  •  Children are encouraged to exercise their choice and not compelled to participate in each and every activity
  • We believe in equality of all human beings, irrespective of their class, caste, gender and age.
  •  We prefer co-operation to competition
  • Liberty is realized through responsible behavior
  • We choose to explore creative methods for assessing children rather than relying on typical examination oriented evaluation