Snehagram: a 15-Year Partnership
Back in 2012, Learn for Life Foundation forged its first partnership with the Sneha Care Home (SCH) for children living with HIV in Karnataka. Thanks to hands-on, value-driven programming at the T.V. Vareed Learn for Life Centre, their confident students blossomed into resilient adults working across multiple sectors.
Our Journey
Learn for Life Foundation's partnership with Snehagram traces its roots to Sneha Care Home, a residential community established to provide care, education, and support for children affected by HIV/AIDS. For many of these children, Sneha offered not only access to healthcare and schooling, but also a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow, learn, and thrive.
In 2012, following significant changes in government policies related to HIV treatment and education, Sneha Care Home faced a critical funding shortfall that threatened the continuity of its programs. Recognizing both the urgency of the situation and the extraordinary potential of the students it served, Learn for Life Foundation was established to help sustain the Sneha program and expand educational opportunities for vulnerable youth.
Over the following years, Learn for Life Foundation became one of Sneha's principal supporters, mobilizing resources through individual donors, community events, corporate partnerships, and a growing network of volunteers. Beyond financial support, the partnership fostered mentorship, volunteer engagement, and new educational pathways designed to help students achieve long-term independence and success.
As the organization evolved, its vision expanded beyond residential care. This led to the development of Snehagram, a broader educational and community development campus in Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu. Snehagram was created to support older students as they transitioned into secondary education, vocational training, and adult life while remaining connected to a supportive learning community.
A major milestone in this partnership came in 2014 with the establishment of the T.V. Vareed Learn for Life Centre, a technology-enabled learning hub that introduced a blended educational model combining digital coursework, self-paced learning, and in-person mentorship. Through access to laptops, online learning resources, and the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) curriculum, students gained greater flexibility and ownership over their education while educators served as mentors and guides.
The impact of this model became evident in 2015, when a cohort of Snehagram students successfully completed their Grade 10 equivalency examinations through the NIOS program, representing an important achievement for young people whose educational journeys had often been marked by significant challenges.
Since then, the partnership has continued to evolve, supporting STEM education, digital literacy, life skills development, and career readiness initiatives that empower students to pursue higher education, vocational opportunities, and leadership roles within their communities.
Today, the Learn for Life Foundation and Snehagram partnership remains focused on one central goal: ensuring that every student has the opportunity to build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to create a brighter future for themselves and the communities they serve.