Milestones
Learning Together Sunbeam’s Vibrant Student Community
Building a brighter future: Milestones
At Sunbeam, we’re proud of our journey, and we’re excited to share our milestones with you. Over the years, we’ve worked tirelessly to create a lasting impact in education, community empowerment, human resource development, and infrastructure growth. Our milestones showcase our commitment to providing quality education, empowering communities, and fostering growth. From our humble beginnings, we’ve consistently pushed boundaries to create a better future for our child beneficiaries.
We invite you to explore our milestones, which highlight our achievements in:
- Education: Transforming lives through quality education and innovative learning approaches
- Community Empowerment: Empowering communities through skill development, social initiatives, and outreach programs
- Value Education: Instilling ethical values, life skills and social responsibility to shape responsible and compassionate individuals.
- Human Resource: Nurturing talent, fostering growth, and building a strong team
- Infrastructure: Building on classrooms space availability to support education
We’re grateful for the support of our stakeholders, partners, and community. As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain committed to our mission of making children realise their potential.
Education
2010-2025
Twin Triumph: From
Kindergarten to Career Dreams
Kindergarten to Career Dreams
-The inspiring journey of the twin siblings – Sanika Manjrekar and Soham Manjrekar – shows how Sunbeam’s holistic approach to children’s wellbeing turns young lives into successful futures. Starting in Kindergarten at Worli BDD Chawls education center of Sunbeam in 2010, the twins received nurturing care that addressed their emotional needs while placing a strong emphasis on value-based education and formal learning. This blended support groomed them into confident, upright individuals who pursued their chosen fields – Sanika in her B.Com. degree and Soham in Mechanical Engineering – making them contributing members of society and proving that quality education and emotional care can transform humble beginnings into remarkable career achievements.
2012-2025
From Marginalised Roots
to Higher Horizons
to Higher Horizons
The education milestone showcases inspiring journeys of resilient students from marginalised society who refused to give up on their aspirations. Featured are Vaishnavi Dhawane and Lesha Vadhel whose photographs capture both their joyful childhood memories and their determined present selves. Vaishnavi, pursuing a 3rd year B.Sc., and Lesha, a 3rd year Civil Engineering student exemplify how unwavering dedication enables them to chase careers of their choice, breaking barriers and shaping brighter futures despite societal challenges. Their stories highlight the transformative power of education in uplifting underprivileged voices and nurturing talent to achieve professional dreams.
2005-Till Date
Inspiring Journey of Ganesh Kevat:
From Humble Beginnings to Chartered
Accountant
From Humble Beginnings to Chartered
Accountant
Ganesh Kevat, an alumnus of Sunbeam, exemplifies resilience and dedication. Hailing from a modest family where his father, a coriander vendor, struggled to meet the family's needs, Ganesh balanced school with work to support himself. Despite financial hardships, he pursued his education relentlessly, completing both schooling and graduation, and eventually qualified as a practicing Chartered Accountant.
Grateful for the foundation Sunbeam provided, Ganesh now gives back by conducting career-counselling sessions for junior college students aspiring to become CAs, CSs, or CMAs, guiding them on their professional paths. Additionally, he sponsors the education of two Sunbeam students, viewing this support as his way of repaying the institution that helped shape his journey and enabled him to achieve his success.
Initial Years of Sunbeam
1. Non-formal education classes were started for students of all age groups who had never attended formal schools.
2. Bridge courses were conducted for below-average students to prepare them for school entrance exams and help them join the mainstream class appropriate for their age.
3. Heavy expenses were incurred on regular parties and overnight picnics as incentives to maintain attendance levels in the classes.
4. We had to coach parents to allow their children to get enrolled in formal schools and also prevent dropout midway.
5. Our beneficiaries initially attended vernacular medium schools because their parents insisted that they study in their mother tongue.
6. Regular counseling sessions were held to make the students and parents realize the importance of education beyond school to college.
Over the Years
1. Every child beneficiary now attends school and daily formal education classes at Sunbeam centres.
2. The need for bridge courses is no longer felt; students pass school exams and are promoted on merit year after year.
3. Recreation costs have been reduced to nil – 100% of funds are utilized solely on education expenses.
4. Almost all beneficiaries now attend English Medium schools, as the community has become aware of the importance of the language and its resultant job prospects.
5. All beneficiaries complete their schooling and graduate out of college with a minimal dropout rate.
6. Career counselling efforts have paid off, and the majority of students opt for professional degree courses of their choice and aptitude.
Our Budding Talent
(Degrees Pursued by Sunbeam Students
– Academic Year 2025-2026)
Siddhi Worlikar - BFA
(Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Sana Shaikh - B.Arch
(Bachelor of Architecture)
Poorva Dhakne - BDS
(Bachelor in Dental Surgery)
Ayush Vadhel - MBBS
(Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)
Supriya Thakur - BHMS
(Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery)
Aaryan Upadhyay – BA LLB
(Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Legislative Law)
Shrutkirti Tiwari - MBA
Master of Business Administration
Trisha Chaurasiya – B.Voc. DT
(Bachelor of Vocation in Dialysis Technology)
Nihant Anumalla – B.Sc Biotech
(Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology)
Riddhi Soni - BPT
(Bachelor in Physiotherap)
Hrishikesh Vallakati – B.Tech AE
(Bachelor of Technology in Aerospace Engineering)
Purva Jangle – B.Ch.E
(Bachelor of Chemical Engineering)
Pranay Mankar – B.Tech CE
(Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering)
Isha Goregaonkar – BAF
(Bachelor of Accounting and Finance)
Yashraj Saroj – BBI
(Bachelor of Banking and Insurance)
Khushi Sonar – B.Sc. IT
(Bachelor of Science in Information Technology)
Sonu Gupta – BOT
(Bachelor of Occupational Therapy)
Owais Shaikh – IT Eng
(Information Technology in Engineering)
Taniya Patil - GNM
(General Nursing and Midwifery)
Vasavi Ushakolla – CS&F
(Cyber Security and Forensics)
Rohit Ghanate – B.Voc - ID
(Bachelor of Vocation in Interior Design)
Roshini Pal – BA LLB
(Bachelor of Legislative Law)
Neha Nalla – B.Ed.
(Bachelor of Education)
Aayush Kesharwani – B.Pharma
(Bachelor of Pharmacy)
Trupti Kulye - PGDM
(Post Graduate Diploma in Management)
Our Budding Talent
(Degrees Pursued by Sunbeam Students
– Academic Year 2025-2026)
Siddhi Worlikar - BFA
(Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Sana Shaikh - B.Arch
(Bachelor of Architecture)
Poorva Dhakne - BDS
(Bachelor in Dental Surgery)
Ayush Vadhel - MBBS
(Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery)
Supriya Thakur - BHMS
(Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery)
Aaryan Upadhyay – BA LLB
(Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Legislative Law)
Shrutkirti Tiwari - MBA
Master of Business Administration
Trisha Chaurasiya – B.Voc. DT
(Bachelor of Vocation in Dialysis Technology)
Nihant Anumalla – B.Sc Biotech
(Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology)
Riddhi Soni - BPT
(Bachelor in Physiotherap)
Hrishikesh Vallakati – B.Tech AE
(Bachelor of Technology in Aerospace Engineering)
Purva Jangle – B.Ch.E
(Bachelor of Chemical Engineering)
Pranay Mankar – B.Tech CE
(Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering)
Isha Goregaonkar – BAF
(Bachelor of Accounting and Finance)
Yashraj Saroj – BBI
(Bachelor of Banking and Insurance)
Khushi Sonar – B.Sc. IT
(Bachelor of Science in Information Technology)
Sonu Gupta – BOT
(Bachelor of Occupational Therapy)
Owais Shaikh – IT Eng
(Information Technology in Engineering)
Taniya Patil - GNM
(General Nursing and Midwifery)
Vasavi Ushakolla – CS&F
(Cyber Security and Forensics)
Rohit Ghanate – B.Voc - ID
(Bachelor of Vocation in Interior Design)
Roshini Pal – BA LLB
(Bachelor of Legislative Law)
Neha Nalla – B.Ed.
(Bachelor of Education)
Aayush Kesharwani – B.Pharma
(Bachelor of Pharmacy)
Trupti Kulye - PGDM
(Post Graduate Diploma in Management)
Community Development
Community Meet on the Value of Educating Their Children
In the Initial Years of Sunbeam, the organization focused on several community-related challenges:
1. A team of community workers managed health and hygiene issues for the community.
2. Parents were reluctant to send their girl children to school beyond the 6th or 7th standard.
3. Parents did not see any problem in making their children work at home or take odd jobs to supplement the family income instead of letting them attend school.
4. Parents believed that spending money on children’s education was a waste of resources.
5. Almost all mothers of the child beneficiaries were housewives because the community mindset prevented them from working outside the home.
Celebrating Community Partnership in Their Children’s Advanced Learning
In the Current Scenario, the situation has evolved:
1. The community now feels empowered, and the need for external management of health and hygiene has diminished; the community takes responsibility for these matters.
2. The girls-to-boys ratio among beneficiaries attending school is 51:49 in favour of girls.
3. Parents now anxiously consult teachers about their children’s academic performance and act as positive intermediaries between the child and the teacher.
4. Every parent of students in 9th standard and above contributes 50 % of the annual expense for their child’s coaching and also professional degree college education upto 75%.
5. A majority of mothers have stepped out of their homes to earn and supplement family income, supporting their children’s higher education.
Value Education
Our Students All Encompassing Love in Action
Selfless Service and compassion towards another are values that Sunbeam has always given special importance to.
Our students exemplify these principles to the fullest
From Injury to Freedom: A Student’s Gentle Gift to a Bird
Our B.Sc. Computer Science student, Arpan Aundhkar, when in the 9th std., reached out to a bird in distress. A fledging kite fell down from the nest while learning to fly & injured its leg. Arpan, who happened to be around, gently lifted the bird, took it home & nursed it back to health until it was ready to hit the skies again. As the kite soared high in the sky, Arpan’s heart rejoiced to know that the bird was where it was meant to be.
Teaching With Heart – Inspiring Young Minds for Free
Suman Nagda who is pursuing B.Com., loves to help others. During the Covid 19 lockdown, she found happiness in teaching young children of her neighbourhood who approached her to learn the basics of mathematics and other subjects and to their toddler siblings, she began by teaching the alphabet. Suman taught them for free. She says, “I want to earn well in the future so that I can contribute to help those in need.”
Beneficiaries Living Out Values in Their Daily Lives
Human Resource
The Supportive Core: Lifelong Champions of Sunbeam (From L) Aban, Vinay & Shanta
Guiding Lights of Sunbeam: Counsellors Shaping Futures
Balancing Work & Family: A Little Curiosity Fuels Our Mission
In the Initial Years of Sunbeam, human-resource efforts included:
1. Social workers and volunteers with genuine interest and desire joined Sunbeam, bringing positivity, laughter, and direction to beneficiaries’ lives while also promoting course literacy.
2. A large team of community development workers made regular home visits in Mumbai’s slums and chawls to discuss various issues and attempt to change parental mindsets, especially regarding children’s education.
In the Current Scenario, the human-resource focus has shifted:
1. The organization now has a team of D.Ed. & B.Ed. trained teachers who have consciously chosen to work for the NGO despite numerous challenges in their roles.
2. The need for community development workers has reduced; instead, career counsellors are employed to guide students individually and through group sessions, making them aware of various degree options based on their interests and aptitudes.