Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Bridging thewide gap
|
A personal journey in search of answers takes Anuradha Bakshi to Project WHY, thus providing answers to the problems of many others, finds out NARAYANI HARIGOVINDAN
|
The teachers were drawn from the local slums, 8th standard being the minimum qualification
DISTRIBUTING HOPE Anuradha Bakshi with the children of the Project WHY at Giri Nagar in New Delhi
Amidst the gaggle of pigs, cattle and urchins that seem to co-exist peacefully between the jhuggies of Giri Nagar in South Delhi, was Manu - 30-year-old, mentally challenged and treated little better than a stray dog by the locals. He caught the attention of Anuradha Bakshi, a social worker who was visiting a Nepali healer (Mataji) nearby.
Anuradha, the daughter of a francophone diplomat father and a freedom fighter mother had lost both of them in quick succession, leaving her rudderless on the sea of life that churned up only questions - Why did the rich keep getting richer and richer? Why did the poor remain poor? The whys screamed for the answers. Seeking to give a new direction to her life, she quit a high-profile career of French interpreter and founded a trust to provide nutrition to impoverished children.
That was when she met Mataji, who told her about Manu, abandoned by his family after his mother's death. Anuradha found in Manu the answer that had eluded her for so long. She rented a hovel for Manu and provided him the basic amenities.
From a shanty
Soon other parents brought their disabled wards to her. Through donations from well-wishers, she was able to buy a shanty in Giri Nagar and Project WHY came into being.
Manu opened up a whole new world to her. Here were untold treasures waiting to be discovered - children who were deprived of a good education, nutrition and the other ingredients of a good life because their parents could not afford them, or simply were not aware of their importance themselves.
As a first step, a spoken English class was begun, becoming an instant success. Tuition classes for children up to class 12 were conducted - in the morning and afternoon for boys and girls respectively.
Teachers were drawn from the local slums, 8th standard being the minimum qualification. The lure of employment became an incentive for children to do well.
The classes grew in strength. The children's academic performance improved.
"No child is turned away. Classes are set up wherever possible - on pavements, parks, and hastily set up tents and shacks in harsh weather," says Anuradha.
Four years down the line, Project WHY has become an education support program that accesses 600 children, employing 35 teachers.
Today, as one enters the Girinagar school, a clutch of tiny tots with well-scrubbed faces look up from their colouring and greet you with "Namaste aunty." This is the KG section.
French connection
Mylene Chossat, wife of a French diplomat and a trained child psychologist, was instrumental in setting up this section - from training the staff to drawing up the curriculum. Wasn't language a problem ?
"Never," says Anuradha. "Mylene found a place in every heart," she adds. Mylene, Rani, the administrator and Shamika, who teaches the children with special needs, are happy to take you on a conducted tour. All the tiny but brightly decorated classrooms - small, middle, big and computer sections - are bustling with activity.
In the adjoining shanty, which houses the physically challenged, the inmates are busy preparing lunch and soon plates with steaming kichdi are passed around.
In a corner, pulling at his tee and smiling shyly is Manu, the protagonist of the story.
"When we found him, he was as helpless as a child in looking after his personal needs. Today, he manages to bathe and dress by himself. A little love is all it takes," says Shamika proudly.
Anuradha has taken a small step towards the solution of a big problem. But it is a glorious example of lofty motivation, and thousands of Anuradhas may be required to solve the other Manus of the nation.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
|
