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India: School out for Suman |
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Seven-year-old Suman remembers well the day of her father’s accident, when everything changed for her family.
Life in Delhi was already hard for this poor family, with only her father’s income as an auto rickshaw driver to support them.
His accident left him with an injured diaphragm that deteriorated into tuberculosis, and he could no longer work at all.
With four children to support through school, a sacrifice had to be made. It was Suman’s education.
It wasn’t that her father and mother didn’t want her to go to school. They’d been proud of the fact that all their children were receiving an education.
But her mother’s work as a casual labourer brought in less than $3 per week, and they rarely ate three meals a day.
While school itself was free, there was a charge for tests and school functions, usually around 10 rupees, or US 20 cents. At present, it was too much for the family to spare.
Her parents decided that older sister Sushila should stay at school because she was already at secondary level. Her brothers should stay because their education was a good investment for the family's support in the future.
Suman, it was decided, should stay at home, nurse her father, cook and help with the housework while her mother was at work.
She dreamed of going back to school and one day becoming a teacher. In the meantime, with the help of her older sister Sushila, she tried to keep up with the classes she was missing.
When Suman’s youngest brother was diagnosed with tuberculosis, the family turned to World Vision for healthcare and support.
As well as treating both brother and father, World Vision found a way to get Suman back in school.
With their guidance, and a little private coaching, Suman was able to pass the entrance exam to another school that charged no fees at all. She was ecstatic to be back.
World Vision also helped the family by providing nutritional supplements to help their meager diet. Suman’s little brother received extra attention and is doing much better.
And Suman’s achievements at school make the whole family proud. “I always wanted my sister to be educated,” says Sushila. “She will become a very skilful person.”
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