Two Cents of Hope
If you are reading this blog you are priveleged. Okay, that was not a very nice way of putting it. The accent was on reading, a verb which is still not so common amongst the Indian kids.
I lived in the hostel while I was doing my bachelors degree from Vellore Institute of Technology. The hostel was habitable and the food was bearable. The mess employed kids aged between 10 and 15 years to serve food and clean the mess. The chancellor of the university, an ex-MP/minister, truly believed in educating the youth which was OBVIOUSLY the primary purpose for him to set up the university. 1000 students graduated every year so it didn't matter if there were about 30 uneducated kids slaving in the mess. Inorder to gain some you lose some. One of my friends who thankfuly didn't have the same ideologies as the chancellor took an effort to teach one of the kids basic mathematics and alphabets. The kid really took an effort to learn from my friend amidst the cleaning and serving he had to do to earn a living. It was nice to see the kid smile while learning. I should have probably followed suit but I didn't. If you have gone through something similar and you wished that you should have probably done something more then here is your chance.
A group of graduate students from North Carolina State University (my alma mater)have formed a non profit organization called "Two cents of hope" with the vision of forming a self sustaining society by providing education to the youth. Education in India has no doubt improved in the last few decades. But we still have a long way to go in our quest of being a fully developed and self sufficient nation. Overly qualified readers like you would obviously know the pivotal role of education in today's society. You can make a difference if you want to.Ideas, suggestions and donations are most welcome.
I lived in the hostel while I was doing my bachelors degree from Vellore Institute of Technology. The hostel was habitable and the food was bearable. The mess employed kids aged between 10 and 15 years to serve food and clean the mess. The chancellor of the university, an ex-MP/minister, truly believed in educating the youth which was OBVIOUSLY the primary purpose for him to set up the university. 1000 students graduated every year so it didn't matter if there were about 30 uneducated kids slaving in the mess. Inorder to gain some you lose some. One of my friends who thankfuly didn't have the same ideologies as the chancellor took an effort to teach one of the kids basic mathematics and alphabets. The kid really took an effort to learn from my friend amidst the cleaning and serving he had to do to earn a living. It was nice to see the kid smile while learning. I should have probably followed suit but I didn't. If you have gone through something similar and you wished that you should have probably done something more then here is your chance.
A group of graduate students from North Carolina State University (my alma mater)have formed a non profit organization called "Two cents of hope" with the vision of forming a self sustaining society by providing education to the youth. Education in India has no doubt improved in the last few decades. But we still have a long way to go in our quest of being a fully developed and self sufficient nation. Overly qualified readers like you would obviously know the pivotal role of education in today's society. You can make a difference if you want to.Ideas, suggestions and donations are most welcome.
posted by pagala'k' at 2:37 AM
4 Comments:
U know one thing that i realise in the short time that i have lived. U can't put (any) blame squarely on one person's shouders.
Everyday, we live our lives (happily) knowing fully well that a million kids are suffering. And u know what, we take the convenient route of blaming the politicians.
if there are kids suffering, each and everyone of us is to be blamed to the same extent. In the end, no matter how noble our thoughts, we are simply greedy animals in reality (as i see it, those noble thoughts are are just to tell ourselves that we are doing something.)
I have seen people do something for those kids (including myself), but all of them were hoaxes. They did some junk to convince themselves more than anyone else (that they were doing something worthwhile)
but, the good thing is, if in the process, someone benefits, that is great.
comes back to a very important point if selfishness that ayn rand discussed - We are all selfish, but, some people's selfishness has good repercussions.
There have been a lot of arguments on employing children at the hostel .
I would like to offer a few observations that i had made .....
I knew a bunch of people who in their fancy accents would talk about such things over lunch and "cth tchoo " around and leave their plates on the table, for the little girls to pick up.
Sometimes these kids are better off with being employed for atleast they are provided with the basic needs and are in "safe" shelters( read rather than unsafe homes).
Its wonderful to note that somebody took up the initiative to teach these kids and more so to read abt the organisation .
I sometimes feel that our education has failed miserably making us blind , deaf and mute with all that knowledge !!
"in our times we will repent ,not for the evil deeds of the bad ,
but for the silences of the good "
Please do visit : www.jikku.blogspot.com
I think the scenario at vit has become worse now.what with all the publicity and stuff people now think its 'the' coolest place to be.not only the mess but canteen too employs these small kids(who are made to lie about their age).
Post a Comment
<< Home