KIDS OF PLANET WHY
Shambhu---- hates vegetables!
He is 10 and studies in class IV.
Shambhu lives in Giri Nagar with his father who is a house painter, his mother who is a housewife, and little brother Akash who is 5 and has just joined school. They both study in the local municipal school.
Shambhu is a good student and a lovely little fellow with his dreams, his hopes, his likes, his dislikes and many of the things boys are made off. His favourite subject is English, though he likes science and, believe it or not, Sanskrit!
He loves mangoes and burfies, but hates all vegetables, particularly karelas. He loves football and also likes cricket. His favorite stars are Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. At projectWhy, he loves his teacher Vinita Didi and Pradeep, the new English Sir.
Shambhu is like many other young boys who live in urban slums, and almost unknowingly aspire for a better future. Shambhu w ants to be a computer engineer!
But within the present education scenario, it will be a long, difficult and almost impossible dream. To aspire to an engineering college, Shambhu will have to do exceedingly well in his class XII, sit for a competitive examination, and maybe have to pay hefty fees. Most of all he will have to compete with his privileged peer who have access to books, computers, tuitions and a conducive learning environment. Shambhu will have to do this almost alone, in a cramped room, with little help.
Yet we believe in Shambu's dream, and in the dreams of many others just like him. At projectWHY we try to give Shambhu the support he ne eds to cross every hurdle that lies between him and his dreams..
Will we succeed?
Shambhu certainly hopes so...
Chanchal---- for no fault of hers
Chanchal is fourteen.
Chanchal is a soft spoken, shy and withdrawn girl. She speaks in a barely audible voice, and rarely complains about anything. She is a diligent student, and her teachers never find fault with her. Watch her, and you will realise that there is something amiss. In a group she is always alone. She seems not to have any friends. Look into her eyes and you will see a deep seated anguish.
When Chanchal came to us, three years ago we were extremely perplexed. We knew there was something terribly wrong. Yet each time we tried to ask, we were met with tears. Her mother used to brush our questions side by saying : "that is the way she has always been". But we were not going to give up and slowly we uncovered the terrible truth.
Chanchal had lived the worst nightmare any little girl can experience. At the tender age of four, when a child is still innocent and trusts adults, l ittle Chanchal was abused and mutilated by a neighbour. Her body and soul had been violated in a manner no child can ever forget. Though the culprit was sentenced, it was not the end of the road for Chanchal. As the truth came to be known by the highly moralistic society we live in, the victim became the guilty, and the child was ostracized by all. This must have been incomprehensible for the little girl. Years passed. Lonely years for Chanchal Today Chanchal has learnt to smile a little. She comes to the centre where she is welcomed and loved. She started Karate classes to build her self confidence,and slowly her world is changing. At project WHY, we hope to help Chanchal heal the past. But these are scars that never truly heal, as one cannot really understand why such horrors happen. The momentary lust of an adult results in hurt and pain that never goes away. And as this is was not enough, society makes the victim, even if she is 4 year old, bear the responsibility of the reprehensible act. What is it that makes our society so terribly wrong? And how many more little girls will have to pay before we react and do something.
Raju---- just like you
Raju is 19.
He studies in class XII.
Raju loves music, dancing, computers, watching TV, movies, going out, trendy clothes.. just like any city kid is age.
But for all this, Raju has to pay a heavy price.
He lives in a slum and has three younger siblings. His dad works nights, his mum works in the day, and much of the household responsibilities are his.
He often has to bear the brunt of his parent's frustration, and is an easy target. And his teenage dreams are often the reason for his parent's anger.
School is not better. In Government schools boys are beaten for no apparent reason. And when you are slightly rebellious , like Raju then the beatings are that much more frequent. When Raju came to project WHY, I sensed I deep seated anger in him.
It was as if he felt the whole world conspired against him.
But soon, we discovered immense qualities in this young man.
Raju was a keen learner, wanting somehow to br idge all the gaps of life, by imbibing as much as he could. He passed his class X with good marks and is determined to do well in his XIIth Boards
When he joined the computer classes, he learnt at an incredible speed, and soon was able to 'replace' the teacher for short spells. In the summer of 2002, Raju did a summer job in the computer section, and was a great computer monitor.
In karate classes, he soon became the best, and was assisting his sensei.
In the summer of 2003, Raju took classes for the Lohar children, and earned the love and respect of his pupils.
Growing up in a slum in a big city is a very painful experience. You are between two worlds, one you want to leave, and the other that is not willing to accept you.
If for one you are a misfit and a show off, the other has already branded you as a bad element. And trying to prove that you are neither, his a herculean task. You have to walk that extra mile alone , and no one makes it easy for you. Yet Raju does not give up.
The most endearing thing about him, is that he dreams, and he dreams big. He wants to go to a proper college. Unlike many othe r kids whose ambitions stop at getting a *job*, Raju wants to be an IAS officer. His father however wants him to start working. We at Project WHY believe in making dreams come true..
Will we succees d with Raju?
(Field office) 251A/3 Govindpuri, Kalkaji, New delhi 110019
Phone: 91 9811424877 and 91 9999079705
Email: anouradha.bakshi@gmail.com