I am a volunteer. I believe in making a contribution that focuses on making a small change at least in one person's life. I go to a government school on Saturdays to teach the kids there. These are kids who already come to school and we go there to enhance their level of education and also to provide them better exposure to things in whatever way we could. Well, through the years that I have been going there I realized change is something that is extremely tough to bring about. The kind of change I am talking here is change in attitude, change in the way they approach things, change in their opinion towards education, school and teachers, change in the way they lead life and change in their expectation of future. It looks a little bleak at this time and I only hope that all this takes us somewhere. I am a droplet in the ocean of people who are rising towards making this change. Even a step ahead from here is victory.
Everyday when I walk to and from office, I have to go past a series of huts. I normally just wiz pass that lane. I always had a feeling that people living in these kinds of houses aren’t normal and they might harm me if it’s a little dark. Yesterday, in my regular attempt to just speed up that lane I did not notice 3 small kids playing in front of their huts. Just when I was rushing the smallest one among them came and pulled my hand. He said “aunty” and gave me a huge smile. He looked beautiful. A naughty look in his eyes teeth all over his face and little hand pulling me; he was dirty and wore torn clothes and so were the two others with him. I gently bend down and asked his name for which he said something which sounded like “ajith” to me. I spent a couple of minutes there and left. It stuck me that we have work right from home. Whoever bothered if ajith went to school or not, I am sure his parents are poor and earn just enough to feed him or may be not even that? These children grow up doing nothing and then become either child laborers or continue to do what their dads did. Unless the parents get aware and send them to schools they would probably not go to one ever in their lives. Apart from catering to kids in govt schools, labor camps, ashrams, NGO’s we have to start looking at children in the streets and slums. They exist and have no idea where to go.
7 comments:
Hey i like your thought. But its been long documented that the traditional means of education don't work for street children. They some how don't stick around in 9-3 school schedules. Thats why i firmly believe, either NGO's, Government or we as individuals should try make a difference by coming up with innovative learning program tailored for street children. Like teaching science through everyday life etc. But then again...we all can give strategies, implementation is the big hurdle. Hopefully i will be able to contribute in the near future.
Karthik Ananth
Hmm... Karthik, i agree with you to some extend , like the traditional education dosent work, but i really think every child needs an opportunity to go to school. I think that the bear minimum, you never kno there would be one in those 50 children who is so interested in studying and that one shouldnt be a kid who did not get an opportunity. It is also an environment for them to meet other kids, make friends etc... So, i thnk its a steping stone of going about the fundamental way and providing kids their right.
Infact, not all of us go about doing what we learnt in school, but if not for school we wouldnt have been individuals we are today.
1. A SALUTE, you are a freedom fighter. Freeing ignorance. KEEP DOING!
2. You Wrote: i think its a steping stone of going about the fundamental way and providing kids their right.
Re-Write: i think its a stepping stone of going about the fundamental way and providing HUMANS their right.
Because, Every Human was once a KID.
Thank you gosay! Yes, humans and not kids. :)
Hello mam, just got the link from orkut :) it connects well . Nice to see that you do social activities really good . well If you are in chennai let me know, on of my colleagues visit homes on week ends but its in kumbokannam , i havent been there, I am in chennai since last june and I feel some times that y certain areas arent developed still engulfed by the dirty smelly black liquid, even i have thought abt it some times but never executed, I want to renew atleast a small area but am not well supported financially. good work . dont forget if u want to vist home in kumbokonam there just week end teaching if possible. thanks
Hi Shyam,
Thanks for the opportunity. But i am not based out of chennai and wouldn't be able to contribute. But i really thnk you should go there and do something if you feel about it.
Priya,
Thats a nice blog you have got.
Could you pls help me get the moderator access to wipro care blog pls? would like to add in few widgets and make it easier to access?
Well, its the administrator choice again.
-Veena
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