In India, millions of children do not attend school due to distress seasonal migration. Many families choose to migrate for 6-7 months in a year looking for livelihood because of environmental and livelihood constraints. When families migrate, the education of children is disrupted, and when children return back to school, they are unable to catch up to their peers.
“Seasonal migration is always considered a livelihood or skills problem, but it has never been taken as a problem for children and the future generation. It is a problem for the future generation because we throttle their potential before it even starts itself,” Shikha Jain, Programme Director, Education, AIF
That’s why the American India Foundation (AIF) created the Learning and Migration Program (LAMP) - a community-centered initiative that ensures uninterrupted education for children affected by migration.
To mitigate this challenge, LAMP looks at the entirety of the family unit, rather than just looking at the child. They understand that the family plays a large role in ensuring that children are learning and breaking the cycle of generational poverty.
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LAMP has a two pronged approach -
1. Community engagement is driven through a Community Convergence Group. —a ten-member body of local community workers and village elders working to shift mindsets and encourage families to prioritise children’s education. Using insights from an AIF-led migration survey, the group identifies families and children at risk of migration and supports those who can stay back by ensuring their safety and emotional well-being during parental absence, including through seasonal hostels run in partnership with the government and local communities. The overarching objective is to reduce school absenteeism by shortening migration periods or enabling children to remain in their villages.
2. Joyful, school- and community-based learning provided using locally available teaching–learning materials (TLMs), with a focus on school completion. The approach is aligned with national and state curricula and tailored to children’s diverse learning levels. Schools are further supported through bridge and enrichment modules that enable migrant and irregular learners to transition back into age-appropriate classrooms.
Over several years, LAMP has reached more than 1.7 million children across 5,562 villages in 17 states and union territories, improving access, attendance, retention, and re-enrolment in some of the most remote geographies in India. The programme has driven measurable learning gains and strengthened caregiver and community engagement, ensuring greater continuity of education despite mobility and disruption.
"The scale of this issue makes it an issue of not just India, but global [...] We are talking about 15-20 million children whose potential gets under-utilised because of not being able to go to school in early years of education"
It is critical to take inspiration from organisations doing the difficult work of ensuring access to education for all. “The scale of this issue makes it an issue of not just India, but global. In light of the aging populations globally, we are increasingly looking at workforce and employability globally. India is positioning itself as a source of skilled workforce. And here we are talking about 15-20 million children whose potential gets under-utilised because of not being able to go to school in early years of education so it’s not just a problem of the families affected, it affects India and the global situation,” explains Nishant Pandey, CEO of the American India Foundation (AIF).
For a migrant child, education is often interrupted by movement, uncertainty, and exclusion. LAMP brings in structured yet joyful learning, creating spaces where learning does not stop when families move. Working closely with communities and government systems, keeping costs low, and designing programs that adapt to local contexts, LAMP has built an approach that can scale across regions without losing its core values.
Using technology to bridge education gaps
While LAMP takes a community-based approach, other organisations are leveraging the power of technology to bring learning solutions to places without classrooms or teachers.
Can’t Wait to Learn delivers learning through curriculum-aligned digital games to help children in crisis-affected settings develop foundational reading and numeracy skills. The games can be delivered on tablets or other digital devices, both online and offline, and are guided by trained teachers or facilitators who support learners and track their progress through games. Evidence has shown that approximately 30-35 hours of gameplay per subject can lead to significant gains in foundational skills.
To date, they have reached over 300,000 children across three continents. They have been able to reach this scale thanks to their strong collaboration with governments, educational institutions, international, subnational and location organisations, civil society organisations, research institutions, and private foundations. In each of their partnerships, they tailor solutions to the context, ensuring that every child has access to digital personalised learning.
XploreLab 360 is also using technology to make education more accessible. It is a platform that offers interactive virtual simulations to help students better understand scientific and mathematic concepts. It was initially launched to support Afghan girls who are banned from accessing formal schooling, but has now expanded across Asia and Africa through their partnership with Room to Read.
You can explore interactive physics and math simulations on their website.
Discover more innovative educational solutions in the Global Collection 2026 Report.
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