The next step

This is the time of the year when students step from their schooling to college education. 10th standard results have come, Karnataka board has shown increased pass percentage. And, over 6o students, applied for scholarships with us.

So, over the last several weekends, we visited their homes. Talking to their families, figuring out the social-economic conditions, and counselling the kids on application process.

When came across families that can fend for themselves, we move on.

There are a lot of homes that strike a chord.....you are stunned and amazed at the poverty.....and yet the persevearance & the enthusiasm of the children to study further.......and the desperateness in their parents.

I don't want to romanticize their lives. But would like to present a few impressions during the visits.

Here is Chaitra, she kept calling me for weeks, as to when we would visit their house. And finally Nancy & I, landed one day, to find her, and her step-mother with a young child, smiling & waiting for us.

We were led to their small home - zapped by Kalpana Chawla's pic all over....apparently Chaitra gave a talk on her at school.

A kannada medium student, she secured 82%. Daughter of a lorry driver, stays with her granny step mother, an infant, an uncle - whoz down with TB(Tuberculosis) and needs to be supported - A small house, no TV etc

And....she wants to take up science....perhaps be an Engineer etc....on first looks it looks possible....but then coming from Kannada medium, taking up science, amidst the stiff competition may not be easy......we are still debating Science vs Commerce for her.


Of the 60++ house visits, various teams from us did.....here for the first time, Nancy was offered 'Arishina kumkuma' ;-)

Moving on....two more cases.

Nirmala.....daughter of a Nepali security guard (Goorkha)...Ram Bahadur......he gaurds a shopping complex on Lalbaugh road.....and behind the complex...in between the space between two buildings... a corridor is his house....I opened the door... walked in to a narrow corridor....a cot...and thats it.....mother no more......she has a younger brother... is determined to study. She got 80% in 10th...and she joined commerce at BMS college today.

As we were winding up the selection process...one of the newly selected student, brought her friend along...RajaLakshmi.....Father security guard...1.5k....Mother house maid.....another 1.5k.....some more money with over-time work....a younger sister who moves to 8th std now....money not sufficient....and she has been working......she has been working part-time at a Fancy store near her home...5:30pm to 8:30pm kinds...during her 10th std....earned 850 per month....and passed with 66%........in the holidays she works fulltime and is paid 1350. And, she wants to persue commerce.

Girls (& boyz) like them.....define life.

Yes, we need funds to sponsor their education....we have identified around 20 students for full support, and a few with partial support.

New academic year

When? Really? I am not studying in a school or a college! How does it matter to me? Or, even to you? [Well, I mean to say that I am not odd man out :-)]

A businessman hopes his child to become a businessman. A engineer does. A doctor does. A minister does. And, every successful person does want his/her kids to do better. And, gets admission in the best schools. Perfecly fine.

Can't the maid servant, a construction labourer or even any other daily wage earner hope his/her child to lead a better life of what they themselves have been leading? Should they migrate to a city for better education, which slum they settle in? What if they fall sick for few days?

We expect our maid servant to come exactly at specific time. Every day, without fail. We expect the daily wage labourers to work for full 8 hours. [By the way, this reminds me one more thing: I work in a software company which allows flexi-hours or even work from home once in a while, if I would like to do so.] Commute from wherever they are; in search of work. There is no way their kids can compete with the kids who are polished through various coaching systems.

When I go to a petrol pump to get the fuel filled for my vehicle, every helper there is supposed to have passed 12th standard by rule. No space for "less" educated! Suffocating!!

The other day, 46 boys ran away from a juvenile (remand) home in Madivala. Why? Don't they have all the facilities required to continue stay over there? May be providing educational support would change at least some of their lives?

There are many many kids who just do not know what to do by getting educated. With corporate world setting shops of all kinds, including groceries and huge malls, no doubt there are more job opportunities for lower middle class families. And even the so called "eco-system" (?!) is built around that with call centers and so on.

For many of them, going to a vocational course or a skill training is good enough to be able to start leading a respected life. For this, we need to identify courses, institutes, selection process and so on.

At FoCh, every day is a new academic year. Watch out for deserving students. Anywhere. Anytime. They don't necessariy have to have outscored the rest. Having a willingness to study should be enough. It has been obseved that it is too late trying to identify students "after" the results are announced and trying to take them to the next level. If you find anybody who is inclined to study, the least you can do is to keep in touch with them at least to pass on the information.

It is more than five and half years since many kids have been with us all along. Few might have lost touch in between. But, they do come back. In search of better future. That's all we hope.

India shining, poised and what not. May be, may be not. I don't know.

Friends of Children

Children....nice sounding name....well, if you don't agree, then you must meet Bhanu Kiran. Every line from him would have 'children' uttered atleast twice. Soon, you get used to it, and start liking it. And, very soon you would get to meet these 'children', who will call you 'uncle' or 'aunty'........and soon they also become YOUR children.

These children are not so small, infact all of them are out of school, and are busy chasing their dreams. A beautiful dream. But strangely, you & I may not have had such dreams.

A dream to study.

Yes, we sponsor their education & mentor them. We would like to see them persue their basic right of education. To blossom.

India has a lot of her children like these. And, ours has been an attempt to do our bit. We are an informal group of volunteers, having established a trust, we have raised money through our contacts, and have continued to identify, sponsor, & mentor such children for the last 7 years. And, we have reached out predominantly to the girl child.

We have had both happy& sad stories.

Happy stories include a lot of girls standing on their feet. Getting to good jobs, leading better lives, and reaching out to their families. We have students getting into Engineering & Medicine. Students getting jobs in Infosys, TCS & HP. A dream come true.

And, we also have failure tales. Students discontining their studies: parental pressure to work or get married.

Thats the reason we emphasis on mentoring them, establishing strong rapport & bonds with them. Ensuring they don't get distracted, they study well, and life is smooth.

Thats where you can come in. Mentor them, teach them, sponsor their education.

There are a lot of children having nightmares, and we strongly believe in getting them to sleep well & dream of making it big.

Friends of children for you, ladies & gentlemen.