A little good news for your Sunday
With so much difficult news in the world, it's lovely to be able to share something genuinely happy.
Our Shaheen is getting married!
When Rowena and I last visited our Project Help India Disability Centre in February, Shaheen had something very special she wanted to show us. She proudly held up her phone and played a video of her husband-to-be, Mujjakir, playing a traditional Indian musical instrument. The excitement on her face was wonderful to see!
A very special young woman
We've known Shaheen for many years. In fact, she's been attending our Disability Centre since it opened about ten years ago. If my memory serves me correctly, she's now about 23 years old.
Shaheen grew up in a large Muslim family in the Kotdwara slum area. She is one of eight children—four sisters and four brothers. Her father works as a labourer, while her mother cares for the family at home. With so many mouths to feed and very limited income, life has not been easy. The family also faces the additional challenges of supporting one of Shaheen's older brothers, who has a disability affecting his leg.
Shaheen has been unable to hear or speak since childhood. Her parents worried deeply about what opportunities and future might be possible for their daughter. Although Shaheen studied up to Class 8, continuing her formal education proved extremely difficult. Like many children with disabilities in this part of India, she faced barriers to enrolment. Despite years of advocacy by our PHI team, school administrators continued to say they didn't have the resources to meet her needs.
When her family discovered Project Help India and enrolled her at our Disability Centre, it brought them renewed hope. Shaheen found a place where she belonged, and where she could flourish.
Over the years, she's made wonderful progress in her academic learning and developed skills in sewing and embroidery, becoming so accomplished that she now makes beautiful outfits, including the one she's wearing in one of our photographs. And here's another wonderful part of her story. Shaheen will take these skills with her to her new home and community, where she hopes to establish her own sewing business. We pray for her every success as she begins this exciting new chapter, using the skills she's worked so hard to develop.
But it's her gentle, caring nature that has made her especially loved.
Shaheen is always looking out for the other students, patiently helping those who need a little extra support. She's also become something of an unofficial second teacher's assistant, happily lending a hand wherever she can.
She's not just a student. She's part of the heart of the centre.
For many of our older students, the centre is much more than a place of learning. It's their home away from home, their family and their safe place. They continue coming, whatever their age, until a new chapter of life takes them elsewhere.
And we're all going to miss Shaheen.
A new chapter
Like many marriages in this part of India, Shaheen's marriage has been arranged. Mujjakir, her husband-to-be, also has communication disabilities and works as a barber in Najibabad, approximately 80 kilometres away.
When Shaheen showed us his video in February, there was such pride and happiness in that moment.
I find myself thinking about how different her journey might have been without the Disability Centre.
Here is a young woman who faced significant barriers to formal education, yet has grown into someone skilled, capable, confident and deeply caring towards others.
And now she's looking forward to married life.
We couldn't be happier for her.
A wedding gift from her Project Help India family
Shaheen has been part of our PHI family for about ten years, and we'd love to celebrate this special occasion with her.
Would you like to help us give Shaheen a wedding gift?
All the students who attend our centres come from families experiencing extreme poverty. As Shaheen and Mujjakir prepare to begin married life, a practical gift could make a particularly meaningful difference -helping them establish their new home and giving them a little head start together.
We're inviting our friends and supporters to contribute a small amount towards one collective wedding gift from her PHI family.
Whether it's $5, $20 or whatever you feel comfortable giving, every contribution will become part of something special. Once we know how much has been raised, our PHI team will choose a suitable gift for Shaheen and Mujjakir. To do so, you make make your gift by clicking the pink DONATE button above.
Thank you for helping us celebrate a young woman who has brought so much warmth, kindness and joy to our Project Help India family.
And please share Shaheen's happy news with someone who could use a little good news this Sunday.
#SmallStepsBigPurpose