Gulabsha is the fourth of five children. Her father works as a zari embroiderer and her mother handmakes clothes from home. Together they earn about Rs. 7500 a month (107 USD approx). When stretched between five children and two adults, there’s just about enough to provide food and shelter for everyone.
Gulabsha’s older three siblings study in formal municipal schools, but when we first met her, she was home alone with her mother. Her parents were convinced that she was too young to begin studying, and they were fine with her roaming the slum community streets with her friends all day.
With counselling though, Gulabsha’s parents understood the crucial leg up that early education can give kids. They admitted her into our junior KG in 2017, and immediately you stepped in to provide uniforms, bags, books, stationery and a nutritious meal each day!
Even so, Gulabsha found it tough to adjust to school. She would act out often, especially by biting her classmates, and once, even her teacher. As she built trust with us though, she settled into the safety and care of our classroom environment.
Today, her mother says that she’s polite to elders in her society, and even volunteers to do her schoolwork by herself at home. She also loves to sing the poems and rhymes she’s learnt at school and best of all, she insists on walking herself to class every morning. In the early days, her older sister had to accompany her to ensure that she made it to class.
Gulabsha wants to grow up and become a doctor. Her mother has big dreams for her too. She’s joined us as a community champion, advocating for education, nutrition and healthcare among her community, and today she would love for Gulabsha to join an English-speaking formal school next year so that she can get one step closer to her ambition.
Thank You for empowering Gulabsha to aim for the stars with your gifts and support!
