“A child without education is like a bird without wings,” describes a Tibetan proverb. A child who does not go to school or does not study sounds strange, doesn't it? When we ask a child, “What’s your favourite subject in school?” and they have no response, it feels disheartening, doesn’t it? Seeing a young kid working at a street shop is crushing, isn’t it?
Sounds harsh, but that is the reality for many children who don’t have access or opportunity to study. It is a basic need and a human right, but has been left as a privilege. AWDORG’s Project Educate is working to bridge that gap, making education accessible to all those who need it. With 52 Project Educate Centers (PECs), 1 Media Center for Excellence, and 1,200+ students pan-India, we reached about 10 more this month.
The volunteers from IILM University conducted an awareness drive in slum areas near PEC Gurgaon over the course of 3 days. The volunteers visited the slum settlements and went from home to home, talking to parents and explaining the importance of education, spreading the word about AWDORG Foundation’s work, and taking numbers of interested parents. The parents and children were informed of the PEC existing near their area, which offers free computer education to people of all ages.
Through this campaign, women were informed that we could offer them classes for sewing for skill development, under Project Employ. So came the story of Shehreen, a well-educated woman and fluent in language, yet she was being offered work as a maid. As is the case with most women, Shehreen was at the top of her class during her graduation and had bright hopes for her future, but eventually got pulled back by the responsibilities of marriage and motherhood. So, she was offered a teaching position with AWDORG, allowing her to put her skills to use and to restart the career she had dreamed of.
After 3 days of this campaign, the Gurgaon PEC saw 10-12 new regular students who ran up to me in class one day and said, “Didi, mujhe computer seekhna hai.” Volunteers at the computer center taught these new students from the absolute basics, and I could see the young kids’ eyes shimmer. That childlike wonder of learning was so authentic, visible in its purest form. As their hands learnt to navigate the mouse, their faces wrinkled into smiles when they finally figured it out. The light from the monitor glistened off their curious eyes. The persistence to learn more, even if they are confused and challenged… the Tibetan proverb comes to life, as we see a child gain its wings and learn to fly, right before our eyes.
