Reach Education Action Programme (REAP) was born out of a need to combat illiteracy and ensure every child is in school. For millions of children out-of-school and in child labor, education is still a distant dream. Yet, it is a known fact that primary education is the key to development and that the future of the country is shaped in her classrooms.

Illiteracy needed a frontal attack. REAP launched a full scale campaign for its eradication covering the length and breadth of Mumbai city and surrounding rural areas upto Nashik, through a non-formal education programme which literally takes literacy to the doorstep of the poor.

Through a dynamic vision, grass root commitment, aggressive innovative approach, REAP set on a task of social transformation through 4 E’s – education, entitlement (of rights), employment and empowerment.

From a modest beginning of 15 literacy centers in 1998 REAP made giant strides and within a short period expanded its network to over 450 centers by 2005 covering more than 10,000 learners. These include children on the street, slums, rag-pickers, child laborers and tribal children. Every year about 3500 children are mainstreamed in formal education. REAP also networks with government schools to upgrade quality education and prevent drop-outs.

REAP soon grew into a literacy movement for empowerment. Beginning with adult literacy, awareness programmes, human rights, skill training, income generation and currently 100 Self-Help Groups, women are trained to be agents of social change in their community. From being penniless to deciders of their group’s income and marketing is a success story of self reliance and development.

To ensure quality education, sustainability, advocacy, on-going training and research, REAP began its own four Teacher Training centers to train new teachers for it’s ever expanding ‘footpath university’. Skill training for self-employment opportunities is an additional component offered to dropout girls.

REAP also conducts a boarding for tribal girls and boys in Dolkhamb, Shahapur Taluka to encourage them to complete high school.

REAP is a story of growth and dynamism; of commitment and search for answers for solving tomorrows problems today. Its strength is its ability to take risks for the poor, its wide out-reach, its great team work and its desire to give the ‘best to the least’.

REAP was awarded the International 2005 Opus Prize for outstanding humanitarian work on 7 th November, 2005, at Marquette University , United States.