Transform the lives of 3200 children in Hyderabad

A regular day in ten year old Sameer’s life starts off with setting out for school with his older sister and younger brother. After school he heads for tuition, comes back and works on homework followed with going for namaz and then Arabic classes. By the time he’s back, it is usually dinner time and he goes to sleep early after that.

Sameer likes to sail through the day while daydreaming and seemingly perpetual doodling in  his notebook.

Coming from a family of a mother who’s a cook, a father who drives for a living, an inspiration for an older sister and carbon copy of himself for a younger brother, Sameer has had an interesting past with education. He joined the Government Primary School in Patigadda in 2nd grade. Teach for India hadn’t happened in his class yet and he remembers very little of the time when there was a lack of teachers in the school.

“I was really scared, didi.”

“Why?”

“I was failing every test.”

Sameer is a very free-spirited little boy and tends to amaze me every now and then with his street-smartness. His tendency to be brazen and anger issues were understandably a struggle in the absence of any adult guidance in the school environment. He tends to stay by himself mostly, but would still go out of his way to help friends. Given that, outbursts of anger is still something Sameer was known for.

It’s all black and white in Sameer’s mind, at least so far.

“When Meghna didi came, she taught us a lot and very nicely too!” he says.

“Didi talked to me a lot and I started passing my tests. After that I wasn’t scared.”

When asked what his happiest memory is, he gets delighted and replies, “One day I did something good. Didi gave me a hug. I was so happy.”

Whatever I’ve seen of this boy in school, I can see a potential changemaker already. He seems to be comfortably absorbing any life values he comes across and demonstrates them without fail. He would break rules and tell you why he did so, acknowledging why they’re important and apologizing for whatever he decides is necessary. He would talk about feelings openly and is well aware of his need to control anger, as a result of which after every mishap he would report back to the person he respects and get feedback. This, of course, doesn’t mean he’s got it all. There still are days when he’d get distracted on his way home and reach late. There are still days when, given the environment of verbal and physical violence kids like him are exposed to in their communities, he would end up with a bleeding nose after a fight with another kid at school. As far as behavioral development is concerned, Sameer has a long way to go. At the same time, what would be the pride of anyone imparting education to Sameer is the fact that it’s always a delight talking to him, given how he takes every bit of advice, every bit of concern as something of utmost value. The extent to which this kid is self-aware, is what makes him amazing.

And as he sits torn between the ambitions of becoming a scientist or a policeman, doodling it out in the class in between lessons, I decide I’m going to let him be and probably learn a thing or two from him myself.

*Name changed to protect identity

Request you to please share this among your networks and support the cause of educational equity.