How can I motivate kids to study when their parents aren't interested in learning or helping them?

To answer this question, I would like to tell you about my father. Why this pertains to the question is because, he was from a rural background, they were very poor, and he had not taken education seriously till his 8th standard. My grandfather was a constable, he went to Bengal for his duties. He took my father with him when he was quite old. After he went there he saw the way of life of the people there. It seemed nice. But at that age the general tendency in families is to make the child do some work to supplement family income. My Grandfather's brother had a bicycle repair shop, my father started working there. Now he could feel the contrast in life - the life which people have with education versus the life lead without it, the sheer physical drudgery. He rebelled and told his father, that he wanted to study. So my Grandfather allowed him to carry on. He joined school in 8th standard. Imagine it a person who has no knowledge of basics, joined in 8th class. He found it very tough, so he started studying from 1st standard. He used to do odd jobs for his English teacher, so that he could teach him some words, some grammar. He used to live in a soldiers barrack, where so many people used to stay in one room, he used to study old newspaper wherever he could find it. He studied in the most unsystematic way as there was no one to guide him. He did his graduation in biology but appeared for civil services in history, such was the lack of guidance. He managed to clear UPSC exams. His dream was to clear IAS but he failed to do so. He cleared mains twice, but couldn't score well in the interview. Even now we feel that had someone guided him about how should he have gone about preparation, then he would have cleared it. Apart from all this he fostered education among his children and two of his daughters managed to clear IIT JEE. The most important conclusion from this story is this, that only when one comes to terms with reality, then only inner motivation comes. The children need to understand the difference between the kind of life they have right now versus the kind of life they could have!!

I think it is very important to make the children realize that irrespective of their background ultimately it is the child himself and his efforts will decide what he will do in his life. So if he really wants to achieve something he has to study hard.  Because there are no shortcuts. Another thing they should know is if they are lucky to be able they should make justice to what they have. If they waste this time and do not study it will be hard for them to accept that kids who were not that able but worked hard are doing better than them. Intelligence to some extent can be compensated by hard work but there is no substitute for hard work. At the same they should also be encouraged by giving examples of  achievements made in the society by fair means.

Make it more interesting. Project based learning. Involve the child. Giuve responsibility. More so relate to real life situations where possible and let him know the benefits of what the child is learning.

Firstly , u need to have a special bond with them ... This can be done by doing all those things in which they r really interested or excited .. This way they will start paying attention to u Secondly , u need to tell them dat dey r living their lyf at d lowest level , but they have d resources to transform their lives and improve their standard of living ...Do Make sure to make them hate their present standard of living .. Tell them 80-20 rule .. Thirdly , ask them who their idol is and then link education/awareness to it .. In case if they dont idolize anyone , then u need to tell them abt grt personalities like apj abdul kalam , swami Vivekananda , etc.. If possible , show them documentaries ... Damn Its vry subjective , but I think u must hav got d idea ...