With just one govt school for 1.5 lakh population in Bandlaguda, NGO opens free primary school

In the densely populated 16-square kilometre stretch of Bandlaguda, home to nearly 1.5 lakh people, there is only one government school. To tackle this gap, SEED USA and Hyderabad-based NGO Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) have opened a primary school to provide free, quality education to children from economically vulnerable families.

Located in Mohammed Nagar, one of several urban settlements in Bandlaguda, including Ismail Nagar, Millat Nagar, Hussain Nagar, Ghouse Nagar and Mustafa Hills, the new SEED-HHF school offers classes from nursery to Class 5. With two sections for LKG and one for each grade, the school has enrolled 300 students, all of whom will receive free education and books.

A pre-establishment survey by HHF revealed that despite the presence of 35 to 40 private schools, the prohibitive costs — around ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per month — kept education out of reach for many. The survey found that 68% of households live in low-cost rented accommodations, with rents below ₹5,000, while 65% of residents are migrants from States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Most adults work in the informal sector as gig workers, rickshaw drivers, construction labourers or domestic helpers.

“About 80% of families said even minimal school fees were unaffordable. By opening this school, we are not just offering education, we are offering dignity, opportunity, and long-term empowerment. The school is situated in one of the most neglected pockets of Bandlaguda. Our mission is to serve those who are usually invisible to the system,” said Mujtaba Hasan Askari, founder of HHF.