I visited the children at Nav Jeevan upon arrival (February 27, 2015) to learn that Muskan has been promoted to class I (English Medium) so that is a bit of good news. Muskan has been moved to the Pandua facility in the village where she has a nicer environment to live and learn. The only sad thing is now I don't get to see her every time I visit, but the change will be good for her. The other children at Nav Jeevan are doing well and just finished their exam so now they have their school break. Two other kids, besides Muskan, have also transitioned to English Medium, but remained at Nav Jeevan since they are still in Nursery class.
The five children we have at the Missionaries of the Word are doing well and happy to be there. I went to visit them the following day. After paying for their tuition for the year, I took them shopping for a set of school clothes. It has only been about two months for them living in their new environment so they are still making some adjustment and missing home on the train platform of Sealdah. But once they immersed themselves in school and begin learning, perhaps they will not feel homesick.
It was good seeing the children from the Ghandi Center slum and to see them in their new school uniforms. Two of the children, Bharti and Sonam, are no longer there because they have been placed in boarding school nearby thanks to a local Baptist Church. Rupa and Sneha are still attending day school at Saint George in the morning and receiving afternoon tutoring each Thursday by one of the volunteers. The older children are attending classes in the afternoon and some are helping to teach the younger children in the evening at Marina's tutoring center in the slum from 4-6pm.
It is good to see the kids and families viewing education as being more important in their lives. Although it may be a long time before they are truly invested in their children's education, but they families we work with and the children we work with are taking baby steps forward. And for us, every small step forward is providing these children with better opportunities in their lives.
The five children we have at the Missionaries of the Word are doing well and happy to be there. I went to visit them the following day. After paying for their tuition for the year, I took them shopping for a set of school clothes. It has only been about two months for them living in their new environment so they are still making some adjustment and missing home on the train platform of Sealdah. But once they immersed themselves in school and begin learning, perhaps they will not feel homesick.
It was good seeing the children from the Ghandi Center slum and to see them in their new school uniforms. Two of the children, Bharti and Sonam, are no longer there because they have been placed in boarding school nearby thanks to a local Baptist Church. Rupa and Sneha are still attending day school at Saint George in the morning and receiving afternoon tutoring each Thursday by one of the volunteers. The older children are attending classes in the afternoon and some are helping to teach the younger children in the evening at Marina's tutoring center in the slum from 4-6pm.
It is good to see the kids and families viewing education as being more important in their lives. Although it may be a long time before they are truly invested in their children's education, but they families we work with and the children we work with are taking baby steps forward. And for us, every small step forward is providing these children with better opportunities in their lives.
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