Anita

STRONGER TOGETHER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY

India experienced the first wave of coronavirus in early 2020. The government announced a sudden national lockdown in the month of March and the whole country stood still. The lockdown even shut the doors of slum communities for us. But that’s when the Community champions and Interns we had raised within each slum community swung into action. It was them who helped us enroll children in our online Beacon Learning Centre for the academic year 20-21.

And that’s how we met Little Anita*!

Anita’s five-member family lives in one of the poorest slums in the city of Mumbai. It’s been over 18 years since her father Sanjay* moved to Mumbai for a better life and future. People in this slum community have been struggling for basic necessities like electricity, proper sanitation and even drinking water for decades.

Our Community Champions and Interns introduced free education at our Beacon learning Centers to Anita’s parents and they happily agreed to enroll her during the pandemic. Anita joined our classes right from her home. Anita’s parents couldn’t be more happier to see their daughter learning and doing educational fun activities even during the lockdown! This was when hundreds of other children like her in her slum community had either dropped out of education or fallen back thanks to the digital divide. It was your support that brought a ray of hope to little Anita’s life.

While the city was fighting the deadly virus, people living in poverty feared hunger more than the coronavirus. With no source of income and zero savings, many struggled to provide even basic necessities for their families. Things could have gotten worse for Anita’s family, but your gifts reached out to them with groceries every month throughout the pandemic and hearty nutritious snacks for Anita and her siblings.

Throughout the pandemic, our healthcare and dental team reached out to the families of our children with different awareness videos. These informative and accessible videos helped clarify the myths and rumours about the coronavirus and its vaccines. These videos convinced Anita’s parents to let go of their fear and get their shots. Getting their shots ensured that her parents could once again use public transport such as local trains to get to any daily-wage jobs open to them.

Our Community Case Officer also encouraged Anita’s mother to get her Anita’s Aadhaar card – an important piece of government documentation vital for Anita to one day enter formal school. Our team also helped her father Sanjay enroll for the E-shram card – a Government scheme that documents daily-wage laborer in order to help them in times of need. All these services strengthen Anita’s family in the fight against poverty and help little Anita sustain in her education. We look forward to enrolling Anita in formal school soon!

Thank you for opening the doors of education for Anita even during the lockdown and helping her family sustain themselves in their most difficult times.