Grade: 6

Age: 11

Family Background: My father makes rubber sheets from goat skins. I have two sisters. Yamuna is the eldest and is 18 years old. Ganga is 14 years old. My elder sister makes food for us at home. She makes yummy chapatti, tomato chutney and lemon rice. I’m from Thiruppatur. I take 4 buses to get home from Shanti Bhavan and it takes over six hours.

Overcoming Challenges: Sometimes I get bullied by my classmates. They tease me for different things. Sometimes I am very sad so I don’t talk to anyone. But then when they come to know I am sad my classmates are very kind to me and apologize. Math and physical science are also very big challenges for me. I feel that if I work harder I will do better in math and physical science.

Hobbies: I like to watch Phineas and Ferb on the Disney Channel at home. I like to jump rope. I like to sweep floors. I like to hear music. I like to cycle. I also like to draw and put mehendi on my friends. When I am at school I like to make cards and play soccer and basketball.

Favorite Memory at Shanti Bhavan: My favorite memory is the time I was told I was Child of the Week and given these questions to fill out. I was so speechless. Also, when it was Dr. George’s birthday and everyone gave him red roses. Another favorite memory is the time I got 100% on my history monthly exam. It made me very happy and proud.

Future Goals: I want to be a doctor when I grow up because I never become sick—many people do and they need help. I want to build a low-cost hospital called Care Agency. My whole class is planning to make this. Some people like Janani and Vijay want to become architects and build the hospital. Soundariya wants to become a prime minister and donate money. The rest of my class is going to study hard and become doctors in our hospital called Care Agency.

Grade: Kindergarten

Family Background: I am from Bangalore. My dad works in the slippers (cobbler) and my mom she works in a house for a family.

Hobbies: I like to color. I like to write ABC and 123.

Future Goals: I want to be a teacher.

Favorite thing about Shanti Bhavan: I like to learn. I like to write.

Favorite Holiday: Diwali

Favorite Animal: Gorilla

Favorite Food: Masala dosa, beet root

Favorite Treat: Dairy milk stick ice cream

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Shape: Circle

Favorite Cartoon: Chota Bheem

Name: Prem Prasath

Grade: 11^th

Family Background: My mother’s name is Tulasi Bai and my dad’s name is Ravi Prasath. Both my parents grew up really poor, my mother being a little better off than my dad. My mom grew up with both parents, three brothers and one sister. My dad on the other hand grew up only with his mom, he being the only son. His mother, Sulochana Bai, did not show much love towards him, unlike my mom who had a lot of company. Now, my mom works in a tailoring factory stitching clothes with a machine. My dad works in a factory where he makes many different kind of other machine parts.

Overcoming Challenges: I face many challenges in life, sometimes everyday. The most frightening thing of all is presenting the news or something in front of the whole school. My legs and arms, including the paper in my hand starts trembling. This is one thing I am trying to overcome. Secondly, I find it very challenging to take notes in class and plan properly. I can get lazy when it comes to taking notes and I think I can get by without planning, but you know how it ends up if you don’t plan. Another challenge I usually face is studying in prep class seriously. This usually happens when I don’t have much to do and I postpone my homework for later. Now, I am getting slowly saturated in homework. I am working hard to overcome these challenges and be the best student I can be.

Hobbies: The thought of hobbies makes me excited since I have many things I love to do. I am the sort of guy who loves listening to music, dancing and making my own music. This is why I love beatboxing, dancing and all other things involving music. I also love acting since it includes singing and dancing. This is why I love imitating people’s walking styles since I take it as a way of practicing my eye and body coordination.

I also love playing games like basketball, soccer, rollerblading, swimming, and acrobatics. I enjoy sleeping too because it gives me a break and some silence to think about my dreams and what happened that day. Solving the Rubik’s Cube is another one of my favorite things to do because I love the feeling I get when it is finished. I also enjoy teaching others the cube so that they know how it feels to be successful.

Lastly, my all time favorite hobbies are talking and sharing stories with my friends. And eating!  Eating is one thing that will remain my hobby forever.

Favorite Memory at Shanti Bhavan: I have three favorite memories at Shanti Bhavan. The best memory was the time when some of my classmates and myself went upstairs to the balcony of the school building every night after dinner during our board exams. We stared up at the stars while lying down and wished we would do well in our exams the next day.

The second best memory was the time when some of the volunteers (Ashley, Hannah, and Emebeit) and some of the students, including myself, played on the lawn with the sprinklers sprinkling water all around. We got wet and laughed a lot. We ran all around getting ourselves wet and racing from end to end. That I will never forget.

My third favorite memory was the time when two boys from the 10^th grade and me from the 11^th grade, stole mangos from the chicken coop next to the teacher’s quarters. I loved the feeling of indulging in a forbidden activity that I knew was quite big and serious. There is a lot of difference between eating a stolen item and a legal item because you worked hard to get it. Unfortunately, we got caught and since it was the first time I got caught at something, the feeling was unforgettable. That was during a cold, rainy day at around 6:30pm or 7:30pm.

Future Goals: The first and most important goal right now for me is acing my 12^th grade board exams and getting at least 85-90%. After hearing about the opportunity to study abroad, like in Singapore, I want to excel in my exams and get into a well-known foreign college.

Child of the Week: Naveen Kumar

Grade: 4^th

From: Arni, Tamil Nadu

Family Background: My father’s name is Shiva and he is a driver. My mother’s name is Akila. She works on a farm. My parents never finished high school. I have one brother named Satish. He is seven years old. In his school he is second rank. When I go home my brother and I like to ride a cycle and watch movies.

Overcoming Challenges: In the second grade at sports day I wanted to be a winner at running a race but I lost. Then in physical training I practiced on running and I received first prize in the 3^rd grade. My prize was sunglasses.

Hobbies: Some of my hobbies are drawing, cycling, watching movies, playing soccer, and racing with others. My favorite movie is “Tirrupachi.”

Favorite Memory at Shanti Bhavan: When I was in 3^rd grade, G. Barath taught me how to skate. He used to turn me and leave me and have races with me. He gave me a particular skate and every time I go for skating I only take that skate. It is green.

Future Goals: When I grow up I want to be an engineer because my family doesn’t have a proper house. So when I become an engineer I can build a better house for them. While I am at Shanti Bhavan I would like to become a good soccer and particpate in the annual soccer tournament. While I am at school I would also like to learn piano.

Child of the Week: Meena Gopi

Name: Meena Gopi

Grade: 8^th

From: Bangalore

Family Background: My father is a tour guide and my mom is a housewife. My brother goes to school. My father loves his job but he is tired after taking people on tours for three days or more.

Overcoming Challenges: When school was ending and the final exams were nearing I became very sick. After I recovered, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I thought I was going to fail in my exams. There was only a week left for my exams. With my helpful classmates and patient teachers, I did well on my exams. I thanked my classmates who supported me that semester. Recovering from an illness and writing exams was one of the challenges I overcame last year.

Hobbies: I like to hang out with my friends. I like to ride bikes. I also like to read books during my free time. My favorite series is the Twilight series. I love listening to the American top-forty music.

Favorite Memory at Shanti Bhavan: Last year’s Christmas party at Shanti Bhavan is my favorite memory. It is my favorite memory because I had lots of fun with my best friends. Everyone danced and laughed and I had a very good time. My mid-term ended with the Christmas party when all of my friends were crying with joy.

Future Goals: My future goals are to do well on my board exams. I want to become a software engineer when I grow up. I want to become a software engineer because I’m interested in computers and I really like programming.

We hope you have enjoyed the holidays and had a wonderful season. The children of Shanti Bhavan have been busy too, and they have plenty to share. So please sit back and enjoy this journey with us as we bring you stories, poetry, photos and a little holiday cheer from the kids!

In this Newsletter:

Be Good for Goodness Sake – by Brinda

The Little Heroes of their own stories – by Shilpa Raj

The Prayer – By Praveen

Be Good For Goodness Sake

It was the 16^th of December — a normal Friday until Vice Principal Miss Beena announced at lunch that there would be no more classes for the rest of the day. The dining hall erupted with screams of happy children, while the 11^th graders began to decorate for the Christmas party.

By early evening, all the children and staff had dressed in their best clothes and went to the school building for the show. Children from various grades performed dances to jazz and modern music. The audience stared in amazement as the 6^th grade and 7^th grade girls moved in rhythm to Jennifer Lopez’s ‘On the Dance Floor.’ Marisa and Nanja, the two volunteers who had trained them, watched happily. Their hours of practice had finally paid off.

The dances ended and the school choir took over in leading everyone to a round of carols. The show was followed by a fun fair. Assisted by the 11^th graders the children went around the school building playing games. Every child was given a coupon that allowed him or her to play three games out of eight. The games ranged from being blindfolded and trying to fix the hat on Santa’s head, to guessing how many berries were in the box, and throwing the ball into the clown’s mouth.

By 7:00 pm everyone started moving towards the dining hall. The pathway leading to it was lined with lanterns creating a feeling of magic and excitement in the air.

The dining hall glowed with colorful lights. A star hung in the entrance. A Christmas tree was placed on the table, and excited children crowded around it to stare at its beautiful decorations. A crib had been set in the corner. In the span of a few hours, the 11^th graders had succeeded in converting the dining place into a party hall.

All were wondering where the good, old Santa was. Had his reindeer lost its way or had he gotten stuck in the chimney?

While the anxiety was building up, Catherine, stood up on a chair, grabbed the mike and led the audience in chanting, “I believe in Santa! I believe in Santa!” Children crowded around her, drowning her voice in their excitement. Everybody waited with baited breath for Santa Claus. Screams of delight resounded in the room as the chubby figure of Santa appeared at the top of the stairs, wishing all a ‘Merry Christmas’!

Santa went around to each table shaking children’s hands and listening to their complaints of who had pinched whom and who had been naughty. After a delicious dinner of nan, rice, chicken and ice-cream, all the children were called according to their grades to the school building to receive their presents from Santa.

The belief in Christmas and magic only grew stronger as the children who had been ‘good for goodness sake’ all year long walked back to their dorms tired from all the merriment. Christmas had been a great time for all.

Brinda, 11^th grade

The New Little Heroes of Shanti Bhavan

On the 3^rd of December, the whole school was treated to a pleasant surprise.

At the school assembly, the new kindergartners stepped on stage confidently and began their well rehearsed performance. Standing in a semi-circle, they went around in pairs introducing themselves in clear English and then stated the names of their favorite animals.

Using lively expressions and actions they imitated their favorite animals. For instance Kishore said, “My name is Kishore. My favorite animal is a dog.” He barked like a dog and left the audience in fits of laughter. His classmate Angel said, “My name is Angel. My favorite animal is a gorilla.” Everybody enjoyed watching her beat her chest with her little fists and growl.

As the audience rose in applause, the four year olds bowed and left the stage elegantly as their teachers and care-takers looked proudly on. Just a few months ago when they arrived, none of them knew how to speak English, brush their teeth, use a bathroom and tell the difference between a fork and a spoon. But today they are bright, energetic children with amazing curiosity.

Their class teacher, Ms. Geetha says, “They are so lively. Every day the first period is spent listening to the children tell me all about what they did in the dorms. When we were learning the alphabets I would say ‘A’ and give examples of words starting with ‘A’ in English. But they would scream out examples of words in their own languages like ‘Amma’ in Tamil and Kannada which means mother.” Smiling, she adds, “I love the children very much. I enjoy teaching small ones. They are a great joy.”

Besides learning their alphabets, the children watch videos, color with crayons, listen to stories, recite rhymes, and take nature walks around the huge campus. Their day begins at 7:30 when they wake up to the sound of music. After a quick wash they make their beds and then exercise. After breakfast, their classes begin at 9 am and end at 1 pm and in between they have a snack break and assembly.

“Three years ago financial restraints made it hard to admit new children. We missed having the little ones join Shanti Bhavan. But this year the fifteen new kindergartners have brought great joy and happiness to us,” says Mrs. Rajeshwari, the Head of the Residential Staff and first grade teacher. The children are very cheerful and confident at Shanti Bhavan.

Hardly three months ago, four year old Jayanthi was sleeping on the floor of her tent among the thirty other tents clumped together in a squalid slum alongside a railway track in the middle of Bangalore. A small well a little distance away from the tents is the only source of water and all the families share a common toilet.

To get to the slum one has to leave the tar road and take a narrow mud lane which is scattered with garbage. Inside the tent Jayanthi’s feeble grandmother sleeps on a wooden cot while her parents, her younger brother and she sleep on the mud floor. The cooking is done in one corner of the room, filled with smoke. Their few belongings lie in another corner.

At Shanti Bhavan, Jayanthi no longer has to lie on the floor, eat just ragi once or twice a day, or shiver in the cold. A big smile shines upon her face as she goes about playing on the grounds, learning in class and shaking her hips to the sound of music.

“Jayanthi is very caring towards others. She will console other children when they cry. She is very bright. She loves to draw faces,” her class teacher Ms. Geetha says.

Her neighbor, Jamuna, who also comes from the same destitute slum, is just as happy as Jayanthi in Shanti Bhavan. Little Jamuna has finally brought smiles on her mother’s face. Ever since Jamuna joined Shanti Bhavan, her father tormented her mother and demanded that the child be returned home. He would ask her angrily, “What kind of a school have you put her in? Bring her back.”

Two months after Jamuna joined Shanti Bhavan, her parents visited her. Jamuna’s father was shown around the school building where the older children were having their prep. He smiled and kept silent. His silence spoke of his acceptance. His wife cried when she saw him return and kiss Jamuna affectionately. Both of them were very happy when Miss Geetha told them that Jamuna was a fast learner, loves meeting new people and is very talkative.

They knew Jamuna was in a good place.

By Shilpa Raj

The Prayer

A little girl on her knees,
Calloused hands clutched;
Eyes scrunched in concentration,
Praying for peace.

She prayed for love,
For her father who beat her;
She prayed for strength,
For her mother who took it all;
She prayed for her own world,
A world where she could win a fight.

Week 1: December 19, 2011

Contributed by: Marisa Plescia, Darius Alemzadeh, Rahil Tejani

Name: Sathya Gayathri

Grade: 10

From: Krishnaguri, Tamil Nadu

Family Background: At home, I have my mother and stepfather. I never met my real father. My stepdad is Muslim but we are Hindus. At first, that caused issues in my family but not anymore. My mother and father work in other peoples’ houses. I have a younger brother who is studying in the 3^rd grade at a school by our home.

Overcoming Challenges: In the 7^th grade, I had eye surgery. I didn’t know I had an eye problem until eye doctors from Agarwal Clini came and found out I had an eye problem. They said I needed a cornea transplant. They asked for a lot of money. Shanti Bhavan did what they could to help me. My mother used to work for a lawyer whose daughter is a doctor. She found a hospital in Coimbatore that agreed to do my surgery for free. My right eye had a cornea transplant and my left eye had laser surgery. I was very scared. I missed half of 7^th grade, but I was able to do all my schoolwork and get promoted to 8^th grade.

Hobbies: I like to draw. I also like to listen to music. Chris Brown and Britney Spears are two of my favorite singers. I also really enjoy watching comedy and mystery movies.

Favorite Memory at Shanti Bhavan: When I was in 4^th grade, I sang a trio in front of the whole school. I was shocked that I was chosen to sing but everyone told me that I sang well. It made me feel happy and I liked it when everyone appreciated me.

Future Goals: Math and Science are my favorite subjects in school. I want to be a doctor so I can help and serve more people.

If you’d like to sponsor Sathya, please click here!

The New Year is just around the corner, but at Shanti Bhavan there are still plenty of exciting things going on! Here are two stories, written by our very our own children, about their trip to Mercedes Benz and the celebrations for Diwali. We hope you enjoy.

In this Newsletter:

Diwali Celebration in Shanti Bhavan
A Visit to Mercedes-Benz

Diwali Celebration in Shanti Bhavan

“Boom! Bam!” I thought I was going to turn deaf. Who cared? It was Diwali after all!

Everyone was so excited from the moment we woke up. It was a holiday and we slept in. For breakfast we had idlis and…I’d rather skip the day’s events and head straight to the celebrations at night!

We were all ready for the evening’s show. Unfortunately it started drizzling so we had the cultural program, organized by the children, in the assembly hall instead of having it outside in the dining hall like last year. There was so much fun watching children of different ages dancing to music from Tamil folk dance to Chris Brown’s ‘Kiss Kiss.’

After the program was over, we had a quick dinner of vegetable pulav and got ready for the most awaited part of the day. Everyone gathered on the lawn outside the dining hall as the grown-ups distributed the different kinds of sparklers and crackers.

Screams of excitement filled the air! The smaller kids lighted their sparklers, while the older ones preferred the crackers and missiles. Night turned into day, as darkness was replaced by the light from all the crackers. It was such a joy to watch the kindergartners who are new to the school light their first Diwali sparklers and scream with delight as they whirled it before them. Seeing their excitement reminded me of my first Diwali night long ago in Shanti Bhavan when the loud sounds and lights scared me.As I stood next to my friends, turning a sparkler, I realized that this was going to be my last Diwali at school before graduation, and my classmates and I were ready to make the most of it.Unlike me, those who were adventurous lit crackers and sent rockets into the sky. I stepped back to see them fly into the distance and burst into different colors. We had so much fun!I wished the night would last forever. It was a very special day for me because this festival of lights had brought teachers, aunties, children, the graduates, volunteers, and the support staff together. It was a day I will always cherish in my heart.

 

 

 

“Whatever you do in life, do it with passion” 

A Visit to Mercedes-Benz Research and Development Center India

The 11^th and 12^th graders experienced a memorable visit to Mercedes-Benz Research and Development Center, India (MBRDI) in Bangalore on the 7^th of November 2011, along with our Vice-Principal, Miss. Beena, and our On-Site Administrator, Miss. Rahil.

The two-hour drive from Shanti Bhavan early in the morning didn’t bother us as we sang along to the music, often yelling with excitement and waving to people randomly on the streets. Upon reaching MBRDI we were immediately greeted by two representatives, Miss. Sarika, the Executive Assistant, and Mr. Ravi, Data Protection Coordinator for Information Security, who led us to their offices on the fifth floor. All 24 of us were required to check in and wear our visitor badges which made us feel important.

We hurriedly ate our sandwiches for breakfast and read the agenda planned for the day which looked like we were going to have a fantastic time.

Dr. Reinhold Klass conducted our first session of the day, briefly introducing the company and its objectives, followed by several other sessions on topics ranging from the ethics of hacking to application of electronics in today’s business. During lunch break, some of the boys engaged in a conversation with Mr. Ravi about hacking and information security for Mercedes, while the rest of us interacted with other employees about their experiences at the company.

Throughout the course of the day, many other representatives from Mercedes presented several topics of great interest. At 11:30 am, we moved to Pine Valley, a corporate hub for other large companies like Yahoo, Microsoft and McAfee, where Mr. Anshuman Awasthi used a PowerPoint presentation on the craft of simulation in the field of automobile industry. We were impressed to learn how important simulation is in order to prevent accidents and defects even before the making of the final product. We listened attentively and did not want to miss a word. We couldn’t help but notice the expression on our Vice-Principal’s face that read, “Only if they were this attentive in their classes!”

Time passed quickly. The sessions ended and the most awaited part of the day arrived — a ride in a Mercedes car! From the moment we had seen it mentioned on the agenda, it had been a challenge to control our excitement. We packed ourselves in batches in a great car and the driver was instructed to take us for a ride within the beautiful campus. During the ride, he showed us the different features of the car.

It was the smoothest ride ever in a vehicle! It felt like we were in a busy world and somebody had just pressed the mute button. The features exhibited in the car were unforgettable, especially the quietness inside the car. It was truly an opportunity to reflect on this moment and be thankful for the experience of a lifetime!

After the ride, we had a final presentation by Mr. Satish Sundaresan who spoke from his personal experience about a day in the life of an electrical engineer. His message, “Whatever you do in life, do it with passion,” stuck with us as we entered the gates of Shanti Bhavan and immersed ourselves in sharing our experience with the younger children who were longing to one day visit the world of cars.

– written by the 11^th and 12^th Grade

 

Help Our Mission Succeed:

We couldn’t be more excited about our second graduation which will take place on June 3rd through the 5th! There will be performances by the children, staff and volunteers, as well as panels to help our graduates prepare for college. It is an exciting time for our entire community as we celebrate our children’s successes.

As these students prepare to attend college, we are working to support them. In order to ensure that we can send each and every child to college from last year’s and this year’s graduating classes, we must raised $96,000 by June 1st. The good news is that we have raised $46,000 so far, but we need your help to hit our mark. We must raise another $50,000 in order to pay for the tuition, housing, clothing, food, books and other expenses for each of our 30 college students.
 
To achieve this, we need your help.

Donations to Shanti Bhavan’s college fund support our 30 college graduates whose tuition and residential expenses are approximately $3,200 (Rs. 1.43 lakhs) per student, per year. Donations may be offered as an annual scholarship to an individual child or in smaller amounts toward specific items. No donation is too small. Your generosity has the power to change the lives of students like Abilash, whose love and extensive knowledge of snakes long ago gave birth to his dream to one day become a zoologist; Shilpa, whose ambition to pen a novel grows stronger by the day; and Manikanttan who is preparing to take the entrance exam for the incredibly competitive and prestigious National Law School of India in Bangalore.

With our graduates in mind, we are using this newsletter to celebrate the senior class’ fourteenth – and last – year at Shanti Bhavan!  Enjoy!

In this newsletter:

• Seniors Enjoy Their Last Semester
• Seniors Tackle Exams, Reflect on Their Past, and Contemplate Their Future
• Next Year’s Graduating Class Performs Monologues

Seniors Enjoy Their Last Semester

Written by Natasha Khanna

This past semester was a busy and eventful one for Shanti Bhavan students – particularly its Seniors!

The students kicked off 2011 with a trip to Bangalore city where they assisted volunteer and artist-in-residence Yazmany Arboleda in his project ‘Monday Morning,’ an exploration of how we approach work each day, as well as a celebration of individuals who work. With the help of volunteers, the 11th and 12th grade students distributed approximately 10,000 neon orange balloons and smiles to commuters on their way to work.

This project was followed by the second annual Indo-German soccer tournament on Shanti Bhavan’s grounds, an event conducted by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and the German Business Group. Not only did German companies registered with the Chamber of Commerce compete – so did Shanti Bhavan’s 10th-12th grade students!  In between watching team companies from Siemens, Mercedes Benz, and Lufthansa Technik compete, two teams of Shanti Bhavan children played against two teams from the Kendra Vidyalaya school in Bangalore – and the Shanti Bhavan team came out victorious!

In March, while in the midst of their ISC exams, the Seniors were fortunate enough to meet Academy-Award winning documentary filmmaker Vanessa Roth, and her talented crew, John Zecca and Dan Gold. Vanessa, who has won acclaim for her films “Freeheld”, “Close To Home” and “Aging Out”, visited Shanti Bhavan to shoot a documentary on Shanti Bhavan and our unique story. Vanessa and her team had the opportunity to interact with a number of students – and even got the help of a few seniors who had already finished their ISC exams.

Seniors Tackle Exams, Reflect on Their Past, and Contemplate Their Future

Written by Natasha Khanna

This past semester wasn’t all fun and games for our Seniors.  They had something more serious than soccer to focus on: their ISC exams!

Shanti Bhavan students sit for the ICSE and ISC exams – administered in grades 10 and 12, respectively – considered among the most challenging English-medium curriculum in the country. Our children have a history of excellence in their exams; in fact, no other institution has achieved such success among the impoverished of India. All of our students who took the Level X ICSE exam in 2008, 2009 and 2010 passed with First Division, equivalent to a 3.5 GPA by U.S. standards, while half of them received the even higher “Distinction” mark.

Our Seniors have truly made substantial and amazing strides while at Shanti Bhavan. For example, Kavitha, who is one of nine children born to a single mother and who would have been forced to otherwise live on the streets, is now striving to become a psychologist. Gowtham, who has survived a difficult relationship with a formerly alcoholic and abusive father, plans to become a mechanical engineer. Arun, the son of rural farmers, hopes to study science and engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore.  These students and their classmates have incredible will and determination – motivated with the goal of uprooting their own families from poverty and giving back to their communities.

In order to prepare for this year’s ISC exam – which included exams on subjects ranging from Accounting to English Literature – the students set up a rigorous and intense schedule to keep themselves on track, sometimes spending over ten hours a day studying! The students will hear back about their performance in June, and are eagerly working on their college applications in the meantime.

Next Year’s Graduating Class Performs Monologues

Written by Aurora Masum-Javed

After 5 months of diligently pouring their hearts out onto paper and then turning their poems and stories into captivating performances about their lives, the 11th grade class of Shanti Bhavan arrived in Bangalore to present their self-titled play, “Impossible Dreams.” Nervous about their first time performing off-campus, the drive into the city was a quiet one. In the back row, five girls recited their monologues to themselves, never letting go of each other’s hands. They finally arrived at the Jaaga Creative Common Ground, where they were to perform, and their smiles began to overtake their anxiousness.

With words as powerful as, “I remember clearly the day my father died. He was hanging like a piece of cloth from the fan,” the students gave voice to the impossible lives of their pasts, while still describing the hope their dreams hold for their futures. Divya stood proud, her voice echoing through the audience, as she detailed a day in the life of her mother. She created a vivid picture of the struggles her mother had survived so that her daughters have the opportunities she was denied. Divya finished her monologue by portraying her mother’s last wish before falling asleep. “She looks at her children. ‘One day they’ll dry these tears,’ her hope whispers.” The students received an incredible ovation after the show and walked around as ambassadors for Shanti Bhavan. Fliers in tow, they explained to the many curious individuals what Shanti Bhavan has done for them and how their lives have changed for the better since stepping foot onto its campus.

Few children are given the chance to share their stories firsthand and to articulate with such eloquence the social and economic circumstances that they face from day to day. It was an experience they will carry with them as they move onto college, hopefully giving them the confidence to stand on a stage or in a classroom and demand to be heard.

Make Their Dreams Come True

They have had a long journey and many obstacles along the way, but now our hardworking, wonderful and bright young students will be going off to college this June in their chosen fields of engineering, business, law, science and liberal arts. Rarely do students from these backgrounds graduate from high school, let alone attend college. By doing so, they are making history and will soon be able to uproot their families from destitution, changing the futures of many through their successes.

The parents of our children are poor and mostly illiterate. They are not in a position to financially support college tuition and expenses nor do they have the background to advise and help their own children. It is up to us to take on that responsibility and we cannot stop until the job is done. Without our help, the dreams of a college education will not be possible for them.

We need your financial support. The cost per year is $3,200 (Rs. 1.43 lakhs) for each of our 30 college students and we need to raise $50,000 more to pay for their education.

While this is a major financial commitment, it is also an opportunity to change the lives of these amazing, talented and eager students. Your donation towards their college education is the greatest gift that you can give.

As always, thank you for your immense and continued support. It is difficult to imagine what Shanti Bhavan would be without it.

Best regards,

The Shanti Bhavan Team
http://www.shantibhavanonline.org