All aboard the school on wheels

If the children can't go to school, the school will come to the children. An innovative and practical project funded by Plan International, School On Wheels, travels around Mumbai in India offering working children a chance to learn.

India's rapid growth has led to rapid urbanisation, with thousands of people moving to cities in search of a better life. According to the latest census results, 41.3 per cent of Mumbai households are slum dwellings, while a significant number live in dismal poverty. 

Young children are often forced drop out of school and work to support their families. More than 1.7 million children of primary school age do not go to school in India.

Determined to ensure all children are given the opportunity to go to school, Plan International teamed up with Door Step School in 2008 to work on the School on Wheels project. Now, 3,000 children attend the school each year, with 28 per cent going on to mainstream schools.