Help disadvantaged Bengali children + young people

The New Life Centre school has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, but Mr Naskar and his dedicated staff have kept in contact with the older school children either through their phones or by hard copies of work. This has been no mean feat in an area which is isolated and prone to flooding.

Priority has been given to the older schoolchildren, particularly Class X pictured above who were in school briefly to prepare for their Board exam, the equivalent of our GCSEs. Initially the Government hoped to hold the exams, but in the end they were assessed from their Class IX exams in school.

Nilima on the right of the photo below has been at the school for nine years, and has always worked hard and obtained high marks in her work. Nilima scored the top result in her year group, 87%, outstanding for her year. Nilima’s father is a tailor and has a small plot of land for their personal needs, but as with most of the families in the school this tends to be a subsistence living. Nilima has been sponsored throughout her time at the school through Hands Around the World, and the benefits are clear to see.

Nilima is ambitious and wants to become an English teacher after completing Sixth form studies then University. She has expressed her desire to return to the school in the future as an English teacher, in appreciation of the education she received.

Wouldn’t you like to sponsor a child and expand their horizons?

Links:

• https://hatw.org.uk/donate/

As you will be aware the past few weeks have been disastrous in India with the combination of a fraught General Election (especially in West Bengal where the school is), and mass rallies which contributed to the spread of the Covid virus.

I have been in touch with Alindra regularly to offer support and a listening ear, which is all I can do in these circumstances. The fact that the School and the Vocational training centre are in an isolated area has been up to now a source of frustration for accessing help and Government support, but it has proved to be a blessing now. The green status of Sarberia, i.e. Covid free has been encouraging but I heard today that the virus has now spread to this very rural area. While the upper school and Vocational Training Centre had reopened briefly, it appears that the school has now reverted to online learning.

As always, Alindra remains positive and his medical background, as he trained in prosthetic medicine for Leprosy sufferers, ensures that he is meticulous in health and hygiene for himself and those under his care. So far the staff and students of the New Life Centre have remained safe.

Medical professionals across the globe have put their lives on the line, and far too many have paid the ultimate price. Alindra is one of these as he continues to ensure that the staff are in touch with the students as much as is feasible and that learning is at the heart of his daily life.

This man of the people never rests in his quest to help the poorest of the poor. Whilst some of us look forward to a retirement where we can cultivate our interests, Alindra expands his vision so that no one on his watch will go hungry or fail to secure a place in his school. The photo is from a visit in happier times.

Wouldn’t you like to help this extraordinary individual?