Updates 2012 - Kavya

Kavya was a bubbly happy little girl. She loved studying and did well at school. Then her father passed away. Her illiterate mother was left alone to care for four children and one grandparent. There was little food in the house and everyone grew thinner. But Kavya wanted to study, she wanted an English medium school, she wanted a better future for herself.

So we brought Kavya to Bangalore and placed her in an institution for girls outside Bangalore city. She was very unhappy there. She was homesick and wanted to return home. We took her back home and admitted her into an English medium school in Hanur, the town closest to her village. The school was expensive for her mother, so we paid the fees. She liked the school, but the hostel was not very good. A government-run hostel, some students were hand picked to help the staff. She was among them. She hardly got any time to study. In two years, her grades fell, her morale sank and she lost interest in her studies. Her response to any question, however kind, was tears.

From a bubbly happy positive little girl, she had changed into a teary preteen. It was time for change. This year, we brought her back to Bangalore and admitted her into an institution that offers boarding and education to girls from poor families.

Now the tears are dry. But whether she can cope with her studies in Std 8 after 5 years of Kannada medium and 2 years of working in a hostel, I am not sure.

P.S. A vote of thanks to Huchiah for all the networking and running around he did in Hanur for admissions, paperwork, etc.