When a family's helplessness stops their son from going to school
…and when a teacher intervenes and brings hope.
Yuvraj, a 13-year-old from a small village called Phillaur in Western Punjab, has faced significant obstacles to his education due to familial dysfunction and financial constraints. Conflict and disturbances at home disrupted his studies, causing Yuvraj to pull out of school. His mother's mental health issues, and his father's despondency compounded the challenges, resulting in neglect and abuse towards their son. Without parental support and lacking financial resources, Yuvraj's future appeared bleak - both of his parents were in a state of helplessness and in no place to think about their son's education, so essentially he spent most of his days keeping out of harm’s way.
However, intervention from Anjali, a teacher from the local Project Help India Education Centre, offered a glimmer of hope. Anjali introduced Yuvraj and his family to the centre, highlighting the benefits of education. Encouraged by the potential opportunities that were presented by Anjali, Yuvraj's father enthusiastically enrolled him.
With support and guidance Yuvraj has flourished academically, emerging as one of our brightest students. His renewed interest in learning prompted him to rejoin his local school. Once again, it was Anjali who assisted his enrolment, advocating for Yevraj's situation.
Through consistent attendance and application to his studies, Yuvraj's father talks proudly about his son's remarkable progress, bringing newfound happiness, and a sense of hope to their home. The transformation in Yuvraj's life underscores the vital role of the Project Help India Education Centres have in intervening for these marginalised kids and offering them a pathway to a brighter future - breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and bringing hope and purpose to their lives.
We are so proud of Yuvraj and believe that the sky’s the limit for him.
www.projecthelpindia.co Project Help India tackles the dire circumstances faced by India's marginalised Dalit community, offering education to children living in slums or remote villages, who would otherwise be vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking. By providing education centres (with meals where possible), parenting programs, and counselling, we seek to change societal attitudes towards education, particularly for the most marginalised, especially targeting children with disabilities. Our holistic approach aims to break the cycle of inequality and poverty, advocating for, and bringing hope and opportunity to some of the world’s poorest children, who would otherwise be trapped in a life of hardship, deprivation, and limited opportunities.
Project Help India has 6 centres in the state of Punjab with 222 students (ages 4 to 17) at a recent count. All up we have 13 Education Centres across 3 states in Northern India with a little under 600 enrolments in total.