Life beyond myself

I have been keen on providing education to those who can not go to school. Even in my school days I have taught our maid servant how to sign and count numbers. The passion originated after I visited a conference of my mother’s office. It was on Child Rights, organized by UNICEF. I went there to have a free lunch and have a good time away from my school (I wanted to bunk school and it was the best opportunity).

 The lectures were boring; all of them were saying the same things over and over again. But one idea really got into my mind—“Each One Teach One”. This concept was struck in my head for sometime and I practically did it by teaching our maid. At first she thought it was embarrassing for her to teach from a little kid but I really urged her day and night to learn a few things. Though she left studying as soon as she could, but by the time she could write and do addition.

After my school days, I got involved with my studies and could not make out enough time to continue it. But during my graduation, I got an opportunity. By this time we have shifted to a new house. A five minutes walk from my house will take you near a sewerage canal, and may be to your surprise hundreds of people stay in the slum beside it. I actually went there for my own work, our plumber stays there. When I went to his house, I meet his young son Sanjoy. He was studying mathematics and I saw he was stuck into a problem for a long time. I volunteered my help and gradually became his tutor. The ward is really good in studies. This boy used to greet me with “Sir” whenever and wherever he met me. One day he introduced his friend, Rajiv to me and from then onwards I am coaching them and now a few more voluntarily.

I have been arranging some money from my own to help them in buying books. But unfortunately it is never enough, which I can do. On an average each of them requires Rs.1000 per year (approximately $25) to purchase work books, pens and other stationeries. Books are provided by government, that’s a great relief for us. I request you if possible kindly donate for their sake. Hope you understand that we all need to sacrifice a little to give back to our society.