Transform the lives of 3200 children in Hyderabad

My Name is Anika, I teach Secondary Science, Social and Art at Kushbow Vidyaniketan High School, a low income community school in Banjara Hills. It’s the second cycle in life with schools, and this time around I have come to love it!

I truly belief that as human beings, we seek two things, a sense of belonging and a sense of contribution.With the same value, I was looking for a line of work with a purpose ingrained in development of others and what better than teaching. On a search for an organization with shared beliefs and values, more importantly a sense of giving, I found and joined TFI and the journey has been nothing short of rewarding.

When I joined Teach For India, little did I know that this journey for me was designed in reverse, where we co create with the children the learning experience benefitting both and changing us as individuals for the better. I had to let go of what I assumed the children would require and listen closely to what they truly needed. This experience has been remarkably humbling.

One of my biggest realizations working in a classroom with children coming from tough backgrounds is that we really cannot teach them, what they go through day in and day out in life is for us to learn from instead. Though we can do one thing and that is to inspire, through our actions, words and thoughts keeping them at the centre of everything that we do.

Mariya , one of our students at Kushbow Vidyaniketan who currently studies in the 7th grade has grown so much as an individual .She was someone who was scared of her Bhaiyas and Didi’s but soon learnt that we are only here to help her achieve her goals. We have introduced our students to many things from Harry Potter to giving them the opportunity to participate in Maya, KER(etc). She and her classmates have learnt to be more focussed with one minute energizers, meditation games and jokes. Participation in sports, painting, art and craft is a common phenomenon in her class. Now all she hopes for is that the upcoming cohort gives them as many opportunities and activities to involve themselves. Children learn from our varied life stories, passion, dreams, success and failures forming their extended view of their world. For me working in the classroom and Teach for India has been a satisfying endeavour and a purposeful one.

As a fellow we live and work towards the larger Vision that “One day all children will receive an excellent education”. The fellowship is for those who understand, resonate and believe this is possible and that they can make it happen.