Education for 100 street children in India

Tenth standard is a pivotal year for Indian students, as passing the 10th standard board exams marks the completion of secondary school and transition to junior college. This is an especially meaningful milestone for children from AIC's Waghri and Sikligar communities, since they represent the first generation to reach this point. However, many children face incredible odds as they struggle to complete their educations. 

Vardhan is one such student.

Vardhan was born into extreme poverty and a life fighting disadvantage and discrimination as a Sikligar child in a society that still does not accept those from Denotified Tribe communities as equal citizens. He is the oldest of his parents' six children, and has one sister and four brothers, one of whom who was left intellectually disabled following a high fever and seizures in early childhood, and another of whom was given to be brought up by a relative because the family could not afford to feed all six children. Vardhan's father works as a caddy at the nearby golf course, but earns only 200-300 rupees ($4-5) on a good day and nothing during the off-season months. All of the siblings' educations have been periodically disrupted when their roadside hut of tin sheets is demolished by the municipal government and the family has to move elsewhere for several months before returning to Yerwada and attempting to rebuild.

As difficult as these circumstances may seem, however, they do not make Vardhan unique among AIC students; sadly, deprivation, disrupted educations, and discrimination are common themes in the story of every child who attends AIC's Education Outreach Program.

What makes Vardhan unique at AIC is that he was also born blind. When he was 5 months old, his parents were informed by doctors that his optic nerves were damaged and had no blood flow, and recent check-ups revealed that no treatment or surgery currently available would be able to improve his vision. 

Despite these seemingly insurmountable hurdles, with AIC's support, Vardhan has managed to excel. Earlier this year as the 10th standard board exams loomed ahead, AIC staff helped him complete and submit the projects that are counted as the external practical component of the exams. We also sponsored his exams fees and hired an exam writer, since he would be unable to complete his board exam without this vital support.

While the local government schools provide exam writing facilities for visually impaired students, a student's score is adversely affected by a disinterested exam writer who puts in minimal effort and only completes enough of the exam to ensure that the student will pass. Although it should be every student's right to have the exam completed to the best of his or her ability, with an exam writer whose effort reflects the student's knowledge and preparation, we were advised by Vardhan's government school teachers (who are very familiar with this system and its pitfalls) that if Vadhan wanted to stand a chance of going to a reputable college, his talent and potential shouldn't be quashed by an unfortunate pairing with a bad exam writer. 

In June, Vardhan received the good news that he had done well in his exams! With guidance from AIC's college counselor, he considered his options and was thrilled to learn that his score was high enough for him to gain admission to Wadia College, a well-known institution where Vardhan could pursue his dream of working with computers.

Today, Vardhan is doing well in college - he travels by public transportation with the help of friends, and feels his classes are generally easy, with the exception of Psychology, which he is finding to be a bit of a challenge. To help him keep up with his studies, we have facilitated a relationship with Niwant Andh Mukta Vikasalaya, a nearby organization that offers educational support (tutoring, scholarships, study aids) and vocational training to visually impaired students, and Vardhan is attending support classes there 6 days per week to help him with his studies. 

Vardhan's success is a testament to his dedication and determination despite the challenges that he has faced during his life. It is also an important reminder that a bit of vital support extended to a student like Vardhan who has grit and motivation will be manifested tenfold in his subsequent success and will help to change the future of his family and community.