Despite a 17% improvement in the last decade, the state of Bihar has the lowest literacy rate (64%) in India (74%). The literacy rate of Samastipur district is 41% while that in the project area is an abysmal 2%! This area faces several challenges like:  Extensive impoverishment, entrenched hierarchical social divisions and the lack of correlation between educational level and job opportunities.  Even in areas where there is no discrimination, children often cannot afford