Naba Disha
Where ideas take shape, and children find new pathways to learning, confidence, and opportunity.
Learning Lab for holistic development and system innovation
Naba Disha—launched in 1999 in partnership with Kolkata Police, serves as Vikramshila’s living, breathing learning lab. Spread across 11 centres and reaching nearly 850 children aged 3 to 18, the programme supports children from some of Kolkata’s most vulnerable, crime‑prone slum communities. Its core focus is to provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where children not only access academic support but also develop the life skills, confidence, resilience, and aspirations needed to thrive.
The communities we work in face intersecting hardships—economic instability, migration, political volatility, risk of eviction, dysfunctional schooling systems, and digital distractions. Naba Disha functions as a consistent anchor for children amid these uncertainties, providing emotional security, routine, and trusted adults.
Our Focus
Early Childhood Education (ECE)
FLN support
Enrichment opportunities through libraries, art, music, sports, and creative expression.
Exposure and exploration via field trips, community events, and play based experiences.
Life skills education
Career counselling and mentoring for older children to support career planning.
How we work
Strengthen Educational Pathways
Promote Holistic Development
Support Safe Childhoods
Strengthen Families and Communities
Innovate for Systemic Impact
Our Goal
To create resilient, confident, and capable young individuals who can navigate complex socio-economic realities, complete their education, and transition into empowered adulthood with agency and opportunity.