Teen Student Team Transforming Education in the Sundarbans

From pandemic-era online classrooms in the US to building a sustainable education ecosystem in one of India’s most remote regions, the young founding team of With Our Hearts, Nisha Tara Saraiya (16), Andrew Jain (17), Nimisha Saraiya (14), Alexis Jain (17), and Gavin Bender (17) are redefining what youth-led change looks like. In the Sundarbans of West Bengal, these high school students are rewriting the story of education for underserved children. Through their non-profit With Our Hearts, they have been building a sustainable education ecosystem since 2023, turning a struggling school in Taki, Sundarbans, into a hub of learning, safety, and opportunity for over 1,000 students. During December 2025, sisters Nisha Tara and Nimisha returned to India to personally take the next phase of their initiatives forward.

Seeing the need up close

When they first visited the school run by the Swapnopuron Welfare Society, Nisha recalls, “The classrooms were bamboo huts, there was no computer lab, sanitation was poor, and drinking water was unsafe. Students were exhausted from long commutes and couldn’t focus on learning.” Many children walked miles to school and lived in homes made of straw and mud, lacking basic facilities like kitchens or bathrooms.

Building a sustainable education ecosystem

The sisters focused on long-term change. Nimisha explains, “We spent time listening to students, parents, teachers, and the education society to understand the real barriers to learning.” Today, the school boasts proper classrooms, a computer lab with internet, laptops for teachers, a bus for safe transport, uniforms, and a secure boundary wall with gate. Future plans include science labs, expanded technology facilities, more school buses, and clean drinking water.

A global support network

While Nisha and Nimisha drive the work in India, their founding team - Andrew, Alexis, Gavin, and new team members Aiden Bender (14), and Aarya Shah (14) based in the US, help with programme design and educational initiatives. “However, investing time directly with students on the ground in Sundarbans is what truly makes change sustainable,” says Nisha. As for collecting funds for their initiatives, "With Our Hearts" supports Swapnopuron by helping them raise funds from India based companies and donors.

Nimisha explains that their mother grew up in West Bengal, and hearing her stories and witnessing her deep connection to the region gave them an understanding of its realities that went far beyond statistics. This personal link allowed them to approach the work with sensitivity and responsibility rather than as outsiders.

Impact and hope

Enrollment has grown from 300 to nearly 1,300 students. Children are excelling academically, winning zonal, regional, and national competitions, and benefiting from safer school premises, transport, and technology. Nimisha adds, “The resilience of these children is inspiring. They face extreme odds, yet remain eager to learn. They teach us humility, patience, and perseverance.”

For the "With Our Hearts" team education is a fundamental right. “Opportunity and not ability is what most children lack. Driving equity in education, especially for girls, is not optional, it is necessary,” says Nisha. Returning to India in December 2025, the team is taking their mission to the next level with detailed tech curriculum and tech resource planning that meets international standards.

The girls are also conducting a technology workshop with teachers to introduce a tech module designed to give students a meaningful first step into digital learning. For many students in the Sundarbans, this will be their first structured exposure to computers, online educational tools, and digital research skills. The module will focus on practical, age-appropriate skills such as typing, safe internet use, basic research, and simple presentations—tools that directly support classroom learning and future opportunities.

Students will work with accessible, free platforms including Typing Club for keyboard skills, Khan Academy and IXL for academic reinforcement, Scratch for introductory coding, and Google-based tools for research and presentations. Cyber safety and responsible internet use will be emphasised through lessons supported by resources from PBS, Google’s Be Internet Awesome, and government-backed online safety programs.

Through this workshop, teachers are gaining familiarity with these platforms and learning how they can be incorporated into regular classroom. Through this workshop, With Our Hearts aims to spark long-term impact, introducing tech tools, building confidence, and equipping educators to continue developing students’ digital skills that will meet international standards.