Husband–wife duo Kshitiz Anand and Vatsala, who hail from Bihar, decided to handle the problem. Kshitiz studied at IIT Guwahati, and got his master’s degree in the US from Indiana University. Kshitiz has a design background and Vatsala is a post-graduate in mass communication and has been an NCC cadet.

Kshitiz has planned the curriculum for the children.

Happy Horizons Trust is a non-profit organization that works towards strengthening primary school education through the youth leadership development program in rural parts of Bihar.

The organization empowers high school girls through a fellowship program where skills like storytelling, basic craft and comprehensive activities are imbibed.

The champions, a designation conferred to the fellows by the trust, then organize sessions for primary school children in order to enhance their learning process.

The ideation of the program came after the couple’s first visit post marriage to their native town of Saharsa in Bihar, where they grasped the sad reality of primary education in the region.

The duo found that the teaching in primary schools stuck to the curriculum and hardly inculcated any engaging activity for the kids that would make learning interesting. There wasn’t any motivation, why would a child want to continue studying.

At first the children were reluctant as it was new to them but later children started interacting with them and even started asking questions.

This made them realize the faulty comprehensive models in the primary schools were the deterrent
Initially starting on their own, the couple is now backed with a fully functioning team divided between Bengaluru, Delhi and Bihar.

Starting with only two champions, today they have managed 16 champions over a period of five years.
2 champions from 16 have been appointment as the school teachers as students were much connected to them.

Happy Horizon has laid the foundation for a better education system in Bihar.

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