Ramesh* and Sunita* almost missed their chance for an education.
Their father worked as a truck driver and their mother as a housemaid. But even with both their wages the family lived in desperate poverty.
They could barely afford to make ends meet, let alone an education for their kids.
That was until Ramesh and Sunita met a BCM social worker who was doing house visits in their neighbourhood. When she asked why they weren’t in school they described their home situation.
The family were obvious candidates for support from BCM. The kids were soon enrolled in BCM’s child sponsorship program and suddenly able to go to school.
Ramesh and Sunita were determined not to miss this opportunity. Despite the challenges they faced, they were passionate about getting an education, religiously attended school and were performing very well.
And then came COVID-19.
Ramesh and Sunita’s parents soon lost their jobs and shortly after that, the schools were closed by lockdowns.
Once again, their educations (and their lives) were under threat.
But, thanks to supporters like you, BCM was able to provide additional support to the family to ensure their survival, as well as continuing to support Ramesh and Sunita’s education through sponsorship.
Even then, Ramesh and Sunita were amongst the millions of children for whom remote learning was a challenge. They could not afford the necessary digital devices or books and without BCM’s support they would’ve had to give up on getting an education.
According to their teacher, “Both kids are hardworking, fun-loving and eager to learn. Online classes were not easy for them. They had to sit outside to learn because the internet connection doesn’t reach their home. But they put up a good fight and were determined to not give up.”
Ramesh and Sunita were excited to return to classrooms when schools reopened in November last year and, despite the challenges they faced learning from home, they have continued to perform well.
Ramesh and Sunita’s parents are still struggling to find regular work, but they are relieved at least that their kids did not have to drop out of school, and they remain grateful to supporters like you for giving their children a chance for an education and hope for a brighter future.
*Ramesh and Sunita’s names have been changed to protect those we serve.