Prevent Child Marriage, Educate 270 Girls in India

Spring 2016 at Sandipani Muni School. A time for new beginnings and a time for farewells. A time for results and a time for promotions when it comes to our students progressing to the next level of studying.

A time for the 12th Grade girls who have been with us since their kindergarten or nursery days to enter a new stage of higher education and to start to consolidate their life plans regarding a career or a vocation. A time to say goodbye to a school which has shaped their personalities, a school which has guided, sheltered and fed them all these years, a place in which they will always be welcome to be part of and contribute towards the development and educational process of many other girls who will follow their example and follow in their footsteps. A place that will not be easy to forget.

The 2015-2016 school term has now come to an end and the new term has started from the 1st of April. We had two celebrations that have marked these rites of passage: The first was the 12th grade farewell part hosted by the 11th Grade students and the second was the Prize giving ceremony for all the students from the Prep Classes to the 11th Grade based on the best 4 students for each class based on the quality of their studies, behavior and attendance.

These few images are a record of both events which has marked the transition our girls are going through and the mood of celebration of achievement.

You might recognize some of your students amongst the faces in the photos. You might also see how they have blossomed and developed themselves into fine individuals whose past was of uncertainty and bleakness regarding their future, only thanks to your ongoing support we have been able to achieve the goal of educating these girls and providing an environment in which they could be safe and able to escape the cycle of poverty and bleak hopelessness which their parents had to deal with for generations.

Sangam, our student promoted to 12th Grade and visibly moved to tears upon being called on stage to receive first prize in her class for having excelled in her studies, her conduct and attendance.

We would like to thank you for your contributions who are transforming the lives of these girls and turning them into educated and confident individuals. We hope that you continue to support many more of these girls at the school and continue to walk this road with us untill the last girl is educated. 

Links:

• Article on FFLV site

Anusuya is one of those students of Sandipani Muni School who has been with us since the very beginning when the school had just started in the year 2002.  She is now 20 years old and studies in her 3^rd year of GLA college doing Bachelors in Technology. Very soon she will be a graduate and qualified for a decent job!  Nothing can make the school more proud and happy to see a young girl who was loitering on the streets in tatters 13 years back and is now an educated, independent woman. She came from a family of 3 brothers and 1 sister where her father was a laborer earning a meager income and there was no way he could raise his five children specially the two daughters would have been married off few years back had they not got a chance to go to Sandipani Muni School. Their life changed completely at that very moment.

Read on to know what Anusuya has to tell us:

When and how did you join SMS and how old were you?

I joined in the year 2002,  at that time I was 8 years old. I came to know about SMS where some students were getting tuitions and prasadam. It was a very small room and there were about 15-20 kids attending classes. Some girls were younger to me, some were of my age and some were older. There were two ladies who were taking the classes.  I joined in 3^rd grade then started teaching the kids because the teacher thought I was really good. She then got me and my sister admitted. We were so happy to be in school and really liked the tasty prasadam everyday. Soon I had many friends to play with.

How was your life before you joined Sandipani Muni School?

 We did not have much to eat and wear. We lived in a village near Vrindavan and my father did not have a job at that time so there was no question of us going to school.  SMS was very far from our house so we had to walk to school everyday. Soon my father found a job and we could save some money and moved to a place nearer to the school which made our lives a little easier. We could go to the school in the evening to eat Kitchri.

How has this program changed the lives of yours and so many other girls living in Vrindavan?

I and my sister never thought we could go to school but when we learnt that education was free my family allowed to attend classes. Many children in the neighborhood were also excited to join the school. Suddenly there was a ray of hope in the middle of darkness. I still remember the excitement in their eyes.

At the time of completing your 12^th grade, how many kids you knew were with you right from the beginning when SMS started and how many left?

When I competed 12^th grade there were 8 kids were from the same batch as me. I was lucky to have completed my school and unfortunately there were about  5-6 girls from that batch who got married at the age of 15-16.

What would you say now after so many years with SMS?

(Teary eyed) I am grateful to Rupa prabhu and Nikunja mataji who helped girls like me to go to school when there was no hope. I would like to give back to this school as a teacher or a sponsor some day.

What message would you like to give to the students who are now in Sandipani Muni School?

I would like to tell them to please study hard and do not think about marriage and study for as long as you can and like the school helped us we should help them back by standing on our own feet and becoming independent.