For nine-year-old Anusha, moving to Mumbai meant starting over. After shifting from her village to Asalpha, a central suburb of the city, for her father's work, she was enrolled in an English medium school. Used to studying in Hindi, she found it difficult to read, recognise numbers and keep up with lessons, which gradually affected her confidence. She gradually withdrew from classroom interactions.
It was then that ‘Humara Sheher’ - a social development and community welfare initiative run by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) - entered Anusha’s life and helped turn things around. She was enrolled in remedial classes focused on foundational learning through personalised mentoring and activity-based methods. Teachers supported her with phonics, number recognition and basic concepts, using simple, step-by-step approaches and encouraging regular practice at home. With consistent support, Anusha now reads short stories independently and solves basic Maths word problems. She actively participates in class discussions and has regained confidence, also helping her younger sibling with learning at home.
As India grows towards self-reliance and achieving its full potential, one of the key levers for the nation’s progress is education. India’s education system continues to face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited resources, uneven learning levels and disparities in teaching quality. Recognising the gaps and challenges in the system, L&T has always had education as one of the four thrust areas of its CSR programmes.
Collectively the 13 Education-related projects assessed for the L&T’s FY2025-26 Integrated Annual Report touched 2.86 lakh beneficiaries.
Our education programmes strengthen access, quality and equity across rural and urban contexts. Through thoughtfully designed interventions and partnerships at the grassroots level we address challenges such as high dropout rates and poor learning outcomes particularly in government schools. We enhance early childhood education through support to anganwadis and balwadis and focus on strengthening foundational learning through teacher training, provision of Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs), supplementary classes in literacy and numeracy and enabling parental involvement in early learning.
L&T also supports under-resourced government schools by developing essential infrastructure such as classrooms, libraries, compound walls, toilets, laboratories and learning spaces. These initiatives also cover digital classrooms, renovation of facilities and playgrounds, drinking water systems and solar power installations to improve the learning environment. Students from low-income families in rural and tribal areas are also supported with uniforms, textbooks, notebooks and sports equipment, ensuring access to essential learning resources. L&T’s education interventions have reached 940 schools across India, creating learning opportunities for thousands of students.
L&T’s Community Learning Centres provide remedial education for children aged 7-12 years, strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) skills. Set up in government schools or public spaces and operating after school hours in partnership with local municipal bodies, the centres support children struggling with grade level competencies. Students are grouped into small batches for focused two-hour daily sessions, where trained teachers and L&T-eers provide personalised support in language and maths within a nurturing environment. The initiative has led to measurable improvements in learning outcomes and received strong appreciation from parents.
L&T nurtures a strong culture of employee volunteering, encouraging its workforce to actively engage in community development initiatives. Employees dedicate their time and expertise to a wide range of activities, including creativity camps, STEM workshops, educational excursions, and NGO and craft melas. Among the many volunteering activities is mentoring underprivileged children, helping bridge learning gaps and equipping them with future-ready skills
The JalTarang initiative in Surat, Gujarat, was launched to spark curiosity by combining classroom learning with hands-on technology, complementing the Jyoti STEM programme across 52 schools and nearly 6,000 students in Olpad and Choryasi talukas. 19 L&Teers underwent training in sensor technology, basic coding and problem-solving to mentor students. At Shardha Vidhyalaya, Icchapore, students developed practical solutions such as a water tank overflow alarm, automatic tap and plant watering system - addressing real-world challenges like water conservation. The overflow alarm is now actively used in the school. In addition, volunteers supported the installation of a groundwater recharge system and school benches. JalTarang fostered innovation among students while strengthening employee engagement, creating a meaningful impact on sustainability and community learning.
