Every evening, on a roadside in Delhi’s Sheikh Sarai, a small classroom comes alive.

There are no school gates, polished desks, or painted walls. But there are children sitting together, books in their hands, slowly leaving behind days spent begging on the streets.

At the centre of it all is Krishna Kumar, a Delhi government school teacher who has spent years teaching these children for free, after his regular school hours.

When The Better India shared his story, it reached more than 1.3 million people. What followed was a wave of support from across India, bringing ration kits, school supplies, tents, and renewed hope to the children and families he works with.

A classroom built on hope

Originally from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, Krishna Kumar knows what it means to struggle. Financial hardship forced him to leave school as a child. But through determination and hard work, he rebuilt his life and eventually became a government school teacher in Delhi.

Years later, one evening in Sheikh Sarai changed everything.

Krishna noticed children begging on the streets. Then a little girl came up to him, asking for food for her hungry father. Along with a meal, Krishna gave her a book and promised to teach her.

She became his first student.

For Krishna Kumar, education is more than a lesson, it’s a pathway to opportunity for every child.

What began with one child soon turned into a roadside classroom. Every evening, Krishna kept showing up. Some children were hesitant to trust him. Some were not interested in studying at first. People around him dismissed the effort.

But Krishna stayed.

Slowly, the children began to listen, learn, and believe in the possibility of a different life. Today, nearly 50 to 60 children gather on the roadside to study, laugh, and dream.

Many have left begging behind. Krishna also buys books, stationery, clothes, and other essentials for them from his own pocket because, for him, education means giving every child a fair chance at life.

Watch the story that brought Krishna’s roadside classroom to more people here.

When support came from across India

After the story was shared on The Better India, it reached more than 1.3 million people.

But the real impact was seen in the response.

People from Kerala, Mumbai, Surat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and other parts of India reached out, moved by his commitment to children who had long been overlooked.

Some wanted to know how they could help. Others stepped forward with supplies. Soon, support began reaching Krishna’s students and their families in the form of ration kits, educational material, and tents for women and families living in the open.

What began with one child and one book has grown into a community classroom, inspiring support from people across eight Indian states for Delhi’s street children. Photograph: (Enhanced with AI)

For Krishna, this support strengthened much more than his evening classes. He shared that it has helped their wider work too, including food distribution, tree planting, and efforts around women’s safety.

More than anything, it reminded him that he is no longer carrying this dream alone.

Watch how the support reached Krishna and his students here.

Want to be a part of this journey?

While the support has been heartening, Krishna Kumar’s mission is far from complete. Every evening, he continues to teach dozens of children on the roadside, and his dream remains the same — to one day build a permanent school where every child can learn with dignity, safety, and hope.

If you’d like to support his work, you can contribute using the QR code below. 

All images courtesy Krishan Kumar