Small Benches. Big Change.
The Blue Bench Project
Every Blue Bench is more than a seat. It is a promise that children will find the right books at the right time.
The Blue Bench Project, led by Society Tea in collaboration with School Chameleons brings together schools, teachers, and communities to reimagine how children learn to read.
The initiative is also supported by the Zilla Parishad Sangli, with Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust as the book donation partner.
Our Goal
Teachers are the spark. Through Tea for Teachers workshops, we sit together, sip together, and train them with simple tools to promote a reading culture within schools.
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Choosing age-appropriate books
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Creating book corners and rituals
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Using tools and frameworks that work in real classrooms
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Partaking in a 21-day Reading Challenge
Warm, simple, teacher-led. Over tea, ideas turn into action.
Harvesting Stories
Every teacher has a story of change.
In Sangli, we are collecting these stories — from classrooms filled with charts and drawings to children huddled around a “book of the month.”
These stories show us how teachers are making reading part of daily life. At the end of the project, the best stories will be celebrated, and their schools will win a Blue Bench.
The Grand Reading Mela
The journey ends in celebration.
At the Grand Reading Mela, schools, teachers, and students will come together to showcase how age-appropriate reading has grown across Sangli.
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Recognition for the best teacher stories
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Blue Benches awarded to 100 schools
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Stalls, games, workshops and more!
A festival of reading, colour, and imagination.
A Blue Beginning in Sangli
The project officially began on August 18th, 2025 in Sangli, Maharashtra. The launch was a moment of colour, energy, and promise.
The Blue Bench Project has begun its journey in Sangli.
At School Chameleons, we believe in two things — harvesting stories of change and building capacity within schools. The Blue Bench Project is where both come alive.