Education has been the main working focus of Usthi since the 1970s. In the forefront have always been socially and economically marginalised children. Currently, Usthi makes schooling possible through three schools of their own, plus school sponsorships. Children are helped towards academic success in tutoring centres.

Without school education and subsequent professional skills training, young people are denied access to fairly paid work. They are often exploited as cheap labour. Usthi therefore offers young women and men without school qualifications vocational courses in the economic, technical and medical fields.