From Seed to a Forest: The EkStep origin story
Shankar Maruwada
Who are you?
Why do you exist, and for whom?
What do you do exactly, and how?
How did you get here?
Where do you go from here?
Every time someone asked me such questions about EkStep Foundation over the past 2–3 years, it nurtured the idea of sharing our origin story.
I want to share with you a story, one that mirrors the journey of a forest. Just as a tiny seed can grow into a vast and thriving ecosystem, so too can a single step lead to monumental change. Our journey at EkStep Foundation is a testament to this truth, and I hope that sharing our story will inspire you to take your own “EkStep.”
To know more about why EkStep exists, what it does and how, please read the origin story below.
I share the origin story of EkStep, “Seed to Forest,” as an ode to the power of collective imagination, determination, hope, and action. It is a reminder that even the humblest of seeds can grow into a magnificent forest, given the nurturing embrace of a united community. By recounting this backstory, I encourage others to recognise their potential to effect meaningful change in those who may feel daunted by the enormity of their challenges. In sharing our story, I strive to demonstrate that the path to a better world is paved with small, purposeful steps taken hand in hand with those who share our vision of hope and progress.
None of this would have been possible without the unwavering faith of our founding team and the countless volunteers who, like diligent gardeners and graceful butterflies, have tended to and nurtured our seed. They have acted as the life-giving soil and the gentle rains, fostering the growth of our forest and enabling it to flourish.
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.
It all began with a simple observation: countless children in India lack access to quality education and learning. This problem felt insurmountable, but I knew nothing would change if I didn’t try to make a difference. I was reminded of the ancient proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now.” And so, with the support of my fellow co-founders Nandan Nilekani and Rohini Nilekani and the founding team, we planted the seed for EkStep.
From the beginning, our goal was to create a social movement to empower children through access to quality learning resources. And all that, with the idea of letting the community lead the change, we prefer to stay in the background. We knew that achieving this would require collaboration and involvement of people from all walks of life. Hence, we called it “EkStep,” meaning “one step” in Hindi.
Each step could lead to a social movement.
“In nature, nothing is perfect, and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” — Alice Walker.
As our seed began to take root, we reached out to educators, policymakers, NGOs, academia, parents, and students alike, inviting them to join our cause. We developed an open-source platform, allowing people to contribute their skills and expertise to help us create educational content that was accessible, engaging, and effective.
Slowly but surely, our seed began to grow. As the ecosystem expanded, we witnessed the transformative power of education firsthand. Children who had never before had access to learning resources were now making strides in literacy and numeracy. In addition, teachers and parents found support in our community, sharing their experiences and learning from one another.
And yet, even as the forest began to flourish, we understood that our work was far from over. To create lasting change, we needed to engage with the broader community and inspire them to take action. Moreover, we knew that our journey could serve as a blueprint for others, a testament to the power of a single step.
“In a forest of a hundred thousand trees, no two leaves are alike. And no two journeys along the same path are alike.” — Paulo Coelho.
Today, I invite you to join us on our journey. As you read this story, I hope you find inspiration in the seed we planted and the forest it has become. But more importantly, I hope that you see the potential within yourself to make a difference.
The path you construct from our journey is your own, and it all starts with a single step — your EkStep.
Together, let us continue to nurture the forest that began as a seed, creating a future where every child has access to quality education.
Let us take this journey from seed to forest, step by step, until we have transformed the learning landscape for generations to come.
“From a small seed, a mighty trunk may grow.” — Aeschylus.
I invite you to share your own “Seed to Forest” stories, for it is within the rich tapestry of our collective experiences that we find the most potent source of inspiration and growth. Please send me an email at seedtoforest@ekstep.org
Together, let us weave a dynamic, interconnected network of stories that embolden and empower each other, strengthening our resolve to cultivate the seeds of change and watch them grow into the verdant forests of tomorrow.
Download the full pdf of the EkStep origin story
