Bhoomi, a Grade 8 student from Navi Mumbai, often sat quietly at the back of her classroom. She rarely raised her hand and tried to avoid her teacher’s attention.

Financial constraints made it difficult for her parents to provide additional academic support, and Bhoomi continued to struggle to keep up with her lessons. Over time, learning began to feel overwhelming. She gradually withdrew—speaking less, trying less, and doubting herself more.

This was Bhoomi’s world in early 2024. But then something began to change.

In August 2024, Bhoomi’s school became part of the Experimento India project. Experimento India aims to enhance the learning experience of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects by offering Open Educational Resources (OER) in line with the recommendations of India’s National Curriculum Framework. The Experimento India project is supported by Siemens India and Siemens Stiftung and implemented by Pratham Education Foundation.

Bhoomi joined the project along with a small group of students and began attending regular sessions that explored science concepts through activities, videos, and practical tasks. Beginning with the theme of energy, she learned about electricity, bulbs, and simple circuits through visual demonstrations and Open Educational Resources (OERs) that combined hands-on learning with clear explanations.

Through these activity-based learning experiences, science concepts became easier for her to understand, gradually strengthening her confidence. She started answering questions during these sessions, volunteering to demonstrate activities, and sharing her observations with classmates. What once felt difficult began to feel possible.

Months have passed since then, but the learning from the sessions stayed with her. Today, Bhoomi is 14 and in Grade 9. She participates more confidently in class, shows a growing interest in STEM subjects, and continues to apply what she learned during the sessions—often sharing new ideas and everyday science observations with her family.

“I told my mother that incandescent  bulbs increase the electricity bill, so we should use LED bulbs,” Bhoomi shares.

Bhoomi’s mother is also very happy to see the progress her daughter has made. “I never thought she would be able to read properly, but now I can clearly see the change in her,” she says. More than anything else, the sessions helped Bhoomi discover her own confidence. Today, she believes in herself.