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Education is no more a dream for them

BERHAMPUR: Japika Behera and Dikhya Mohanty of Kandhamal district are among the extremely talented girls, however, their teachers have always doubted about their continuation of studies as both belong from poor families.

But the things have changed for better for both of them. The State of Bank of India has adopted twenty five talented schoolgirls from extremely poor families of Kandhamal district, including Japika and Dikhya.

Many of these selected girls had lost their fathers and their mothers were struggling to meet the ends. In spite of struggling in life they outshone in education.

The bank had decided to meet the cost of education and other amenities of these girl students till class X.

“The scheme was started for the first time in Kolkata Circle by the SBI in 2007 under its ‘community service banking’ ,” said Dhananjay Dalai, the Manager of SBI, Phulbani branch .

Seventeen of the selected girls are from Phulbani, four each from Baliguda and G. Udaygiri.

The bank has decided to adopt more girls from poor families in other areas also, said B. N. Behera, the Branch Manager of SBI, Baliguda branch.

According to him, the factors for selecting a girl for adoption depend on the economic status of her family and academic record.

“Most of the girls adopted by us secured above 80 per cent marks in their last examination,” he said.

The schoolteachers of Japika Behera of Rudhangi in Phulbani were doubtful whether this extreme talented girl who stood first in her class would be able to continue her studies or not.

Her family had lost all its money and property in the treatment of her father who had died of cancer.

Her mother, Janaki Behera was a menial labourer. Yet she had not discontinued the education of her school going daughter.

With the SBI taking over the charge of education of her daughter she feels her dreams for her daughter would be fulfilled.

Dikhya Mohanty a father less girl who was thrown out of her father’s home along with her mother had stood first at the Penji street primary school. She is also in the list of girls selected by the SBI for adoption.

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