The Shakti they give to me
"Me bade hokar, ek IPS officer banna chahti hun, mujhe desh ki seva karni hai" - Humera
"Mujhe dance karna acha lagta hai, par bhai ke saamne nahi kar sakti"- Razia
"Papa ke jaane ke baad, padhne ka time nahi milta, kaam karta hu pure din"- Nitin.
These are some voices of children in the slum area. They're just a few words giving voice to the varying kind of situations these children find themselves in. They're forced to make the decisions sometimes, and take up the hardest of jobs, just to make ends meet. But what all these children have in common, is an undying passion to learn. To be educated.
For the past 3 months, I've been working with an NGO called Shakti Foundation, that aims to kindle the fire of their passion to be educated.
This year did indeed take a toll on the stability of our lives in almost every aspect. Ends have become hard to meet even for an urban household, let alone the people in the slums who've watched their savings diminish.
For such people to keep their head above the water they need a lifeline. Shakti has not only been able to help these children still get their deserved education, but also been able to promote local women artisans through a an initiative called 'Gulmehar', helping these families feel just a little more stable.
Being a student myself, I know that growing up in a school with 5 star class services lead to me to take education for granted, at times. Maybe not because I wanted to, but because I had the choice to. The privilege to. The kids who grow up in a rural background don't have that opportunity. They have limited time, and limited resources, but to be able to still have the courage to dream, with endless potential and limited resources, is what inspired me to write today.
Interacting with these kids on a monthly basis, has been such a motivator, giving me so much to look forward to. Watching them send me their drawings and assignments almost everyday, with their parents' phones, and listening to their dreams and varying passions just shows how light exists even in the darkest of places. And they do hesitate to open up, some longer than others, but to be part of their lives, to get just a little fragment of their lives never ceases to be a learning.
This is more than just an internship or an obligation to me. This NGO, these kids have crept and intertwined their way into my everyday life. It's about learning everyday. Getting inspired. Learning to be grateful. But most importantly, energising life, and hope.
"Mujhe dance karna acha lagta hai, par bhai ke saamne nahi kar sakti"- Razia
"Papa ke jaane ke baad, padhne ka time nahi milta, kaam karta hu pure din"- Nitin.
These are some voices of children in the slum area. They're just a few words giving voice to the varying kind of situations these children find themselves in. They're forced to make the decisions sometimes, and take up the hardest of jobs, just to make ends meet. But what all these children have in common, is an undying passion to learn. To be educated.
For the past 3 months, I've been working with an NGO called Shakti Foundation, that aims to kindle the fire of their passion to be educated.
This year did indeed take a toll on the stability of our lives in almost every aspect. Ends have become hard to meet even for an urban household, let alone the people in the slums who've watched their savings diminish.
For such people to keep their head above the water they need a lifeline. Shakti has not only been able to help these children still get their deserved education, but also been able to promote local women artisans through a an initiative called 'Gulmehar', helping these families feel just a little more stable.
Being a student myself, I know that growing up in a school with 5 star class services lead to me to take education for granted, at times. Maybe not because I wanted to, but because I had the choice to. The privilege to. The kids who grow up in a rural background don't have that opportunity. They have limited time, and limited resources, but to be able to still have the courage to dream, with endless potential and limited resources, is what inspired me to write today.
Interacting with these kids on a monthly basis, has been such a motivator, giving me so much to look forward to. Watching them send me their drawings and assignments almost everyday, with their parents' phones, and listening to their dreams and varying passions just shows how light exists even in the darkest of places. And they do hesitate to open up, some longer than others, but to be part of their lives, to get just a little fragment of their lives never ceases to be a learning.
This is more than just an internship or an obligation to me. This NGO, these kids have crept and intertwined their way into my everyday life. It's about learning everyday. Getting inspired. Learning to be grateful. But most importantly, energising life, and hope.
Yes,its about Learning everyday n being Grateful everyday for having what v have n sharing too
ReplyDeleteYes,its about Learning everyday n being Grateful everyday for having what v have n sharing too
ReplyDeleteExcellent piece, Vanya. Written from the heart, and with empathy. Keep it up.
ReplyDelete