Holding a strong foundation of over ten years in the development profession, Alokesh Sharma has manifested a strong foothold crediting his endeavors with Teach for India and his work with three state Governments in the realm of education. Moving to Uganda he explored the field of finding classroom solutions and strong teaching networks and grew his skills as an educator across the seas. With his most prized venture of ‘Kayantar Foundation’, Alokesh has set the blueprint to refine the quality of living in remote and marginalized areas and communities by focusing on improving the aspect of education, livelihood, and health.

With a visionary approach to do something for his country, Alokesh came back to India. Catering to his love for the villages, he decided to visit them and contribute to the development of these rural and marginalized areas. His expeditions started at Mandwa, Rajasthan where he co-created an entity to design programs that led the people native of the place to grow, learn and work according to the dynamics of the society. Being satisfied with the work in progress at one place, Alokesh moves to another state, another district to procure his services. This way he has been to areas in Kihar Valley in Salooni Block, one of the most remote blocks in Himachal Pradesh , improving the quality of education in those areas.

Having worked in these places, Alokesh moved to Nuh, an aspirational district, and laid the ground for Kayantar Foundation, a Not for Profit Company to support communities for acquiring conducive living conditions through an integrated development approach by focussing on Sustainable Development Goals. Stating his vision behind Kayantar, Alokesh Sharma says, “It has been established that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. An integrated development approach is needed to address all the themes in a community for holistic development. We intend to work in remote and marginalized places of the country through committed development professionals and bring about this transformation.”

Kayantar Foundation leads two major aspects of change:

1)      The integrated development approach addresses the social issues in a systematic manner.

2)      Development Learning model to bring in aspiring and motivated development professionals.

The program focuses on taking aspiring and motivated development professionals through a one-year-long on-ground journey in the rural setup. The model is called Development Leaders For India (DLFI) and is a  Field-Based Development Learning Program. The program brings in motivated and passionate learners who will act as changemakers in partnership with the promising local champions. “We work on the themes of livelihood, education, and health together with the cadre of youth who benefit from peer learning”, says Alokesh.

Vision to uplift the society

During the pandemic, his foundation has started a scholarship program for students and has set up centers with oxygen concentrators in the Nuh to provide support to the people in need.

The intervention through the medium of Kayantar Foundation will create a self-governed structure for the community that would be sustainable and ensures that the community is able to generate revenue for its members.

Alokesh Sharma aspires to co-create autonomous and self-sustainable communities. His idea is to co-establish organizations that will be owned and led by locals will account to enable and support quality education, livelihood and health yielding better life opportunities for the community members.

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