Ishita Chakrabarty | Teach For India

Initiative

Project Clean Start

Advancing Hygiene Infrastructure in School

When I first entered the school in 2024, I was shocked to see that there was a lack of functional and hygienic washroom facilities for students.

The existing infrastructure was either damaged, unusable, or insufficient to accommodate the number of children. Students avoided using the washrooms during school hours.

This led to discomfort, illness and frequent absenteeism, which impacted their overall learning. Recognising the urgent need to improve hygiene conditions for students, the school community came together to address the lack of functional washrooms.

The challenge: Inadequate sanitation facilities

Building partnerships to address critical infrastructure needs

With government funding not readily available, alternative avenues had to be explored. I, along with the school authorities, made a proposal highlighting the everyday challenges that students faced and the long-term impact of inadequate sanitation on attendance, health, and learning outcomes.

We sent this report to many CSR wings of different companies. Finally, our cause was supported by the Corporate Social Responsibility wing of a large FMCG company. Although infrastructure development was not their usual focus, the strength of the problem statement and its clear alignment with student well-being encouraged them to extend their support.

Embedding sustainable hygiene practices through education

In parallel, I facilitated the school's onboarding into the Dettol School Hygiene Education Program, ensuring that the intervention went beyond one-time repair work and embedded hygiene awareness and sustainable practices among students.

Collaboration: Dettol School Hygiene Education Program

Impact: Serving 800+ students with dignity and health

Within just a few months of completion, the initiative is now assisting more than 800 students with access to hygienic washrooms and handwashing stations. I take great pride in having facilitated this initiative for my students by bringing together multiple stakeholders around a shared vision of dignity, health, and well-being.

Change: Clean, functional facilities for all students

"Sincere appreciation for Ishita for her exceptional efforts and commitment towards social responsibility. Her dedication and proactive approach to mobilize funds under CSR ensured the renovation of school toilets. It's truly commendable.
This initiative will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the health and hygiene of the students.
Wishing her a bright future ahead!"

- Rashmi, Principal, MCD Pratibha Boys School, Aya Nagar

Behind the scenes

Their words, their joy

In this clip, my students share what the new washrooms mean to them - feeling safe, staying healthy, and showing up to class with confidence.

"I'm now washing hands before and after eating!"
"The new washroom is better than the last washroom!"
"The washroom is clean, the washroom is beautiful!"

Their voices capture what dignity, health, and learning now look like in our classroom.

Making a difference

Key Initiatives

Ground-level infrastructure fixes paired with student-centered learning experiences.

Infrastructure

Washroom Rebuild

Planning, CSR fundraising, and execution to make facilities safe and usable for all students.

Students

800+

Outcome

WASH Infrastructure

Health

Hygiene Curriculum

Dettol School Hygiene Education Program integrated for long-term upkeep and awareness.

Partners

FMCG CSR

Health

Better behavioral habits

Classroom

Joyful
Learning

Goal walls, story-writing challenges, calligraphy peer support, and Olympiad prep.

Learning

Experiential and Activity Based

Olympiad R2

In the classroom

Class 4A - Superstars!!

Building skills, confidence, and collaboration through engaging teaching methodologies.

English Writing Skills

Strengthened English writing skills by building student confidence in sentence formation, vocabulary use, and independent expression through structured, activity-based instruction.

Visual Learning

Leveraged projector-enabled, visual learning to increase engagement, improve comprehension, and support mixed-ability learners in a government school classroom.

Interactive Activities

Designed interactive classroom activities - games, group tasks, and challenges - that fostered collaboration, leadership, and active participation among students.

Strategic Partnerships

Collaborated with external companies and stakeholders to translate classroom needs into meaningful partnerships, resources, and sustainable learning interventions.

My Vision

Post this fellowship

After this fellowship, my aim is to bridge policymakers with ground-level realities, ensuring education solutions are informed by lived experiences from classrooms and communities.

Bridge Builder

Act as a bridge between policymakers, government agencies, and beneficiaries in achieving education equity across communities.

Policy Translator

Translate ground-level realities into actionable policy insights, ensuring decisions are informed by lived experiences from classrooms.

Impact Architect

Contribute to scalable, sustainable education solutions working at the intersection of policy, implementation, and impact.

Moments From Class

Snapshots of voice, creativity, and learning.

Classroom Activity

Dream Wall Activity

Students drew their goals and aspirations. Displayed on the class wall to remind them they're capable of anything.

Art & Creativity

Mandala Art

Students used mandalas to explore patterns and symmetry, fostering creativity and focus.

Art & Creativity

Leaf Drawing

Students used leaves to draw objects, inculcating creativity and critical thinking.

Peer Learning

Learning Calligraphy

Students learned calligraphy from higher grade students through peer mentorship.

Values

Lead With Love Challenge

Students learned about kindness, gratitude, and equality through meaningful challenges.

Language Skills

Long Sentence Writing

Students learned how to write long, structured sentences to enhance their writing skills.

Goal Setting

Goal Setting Activity

Personal goal-setting sessions to build ownership and accountability.

Team Challenge

Story Writing Challenge

Students worked in teams of 5 to create collaborative stories.

Achievement

International Olympiad

Students participated in Science & Math Olympiad. Three selected for Round 2!

Community Service

School Cleaning Drive

Students participated in school cleaning to build responsibility and pride in their environment.

Partnership

Lenskart Foundation Collaboration

Partnered to provide spectacles to students with high eye power, ensuring better learning outcomes.

Celebration

Independence Day Celebration

Students participated in patriotic celebrations, building national pride and cultural awareness.

Digital Literacy

Cyber Safety Session

Amazon conducted a session on online safety and responsible digital behavior.

Safety Awareness

Child Abuse Workshop

Parvarish Foundation conducted a workshop on recognizing and preventing child abuse.

Exposure Visit

Kohler Office Visit

Christmas celebration at Kohler Office, Gurgaon - expanding students' world view.

Arts & Culture

Dance Workshop

Workshop at Bal Bhawan, New Delhi, to explore creative expression through movement.

Social Awareness

Gender Equality Workshop

Global Shapers, Delhi conducted a workshop on gender discrimination and equality.

Family Engagement

Community Visits

Regular home visits to understand students' environments, strengthening parent engagement and trust.