A stone`s throw away from the Deonar landfill is the VK English School in the thick slum settlement of Bainganwadi, where 400-odd students jostle for space inside crammed classrooms. The school, comprising a ground-plus-two structure and another single-storey building, has 19 classrooms in all. Skirting it are garages, hardware repair shops, shanties, and even a beedi shop. The Govandi school could easily be mistaken for a two-storey shanty, if it weren’t for the board flashing its name. Shabana Khan Academy, a registered nonprofit trust, manages the school.

For an outsider, it might not be the best spot to situate a school, but for the residents of the slum, the school has been a blessing in disguise, allowing their children a rare opportunity to receive affordable English education.