Her Sister Is Also a B.Ed and Teaching in a Government School in Chhattisgarh

Teejbai Teejbai from Nirjam village, Chhattisgarh is a gift to Apna skool. She started schooling in 1992 from class 1 to class 12 in Apna skool and under the guidance of very committed students of I I t K like Shreesh Maharaj, Pranab Mohapatra, Rajkumar, Prabal Maiti. Amit Neogi and many more!(1990- 2000), She wanted to continue her education in Kanpur but due to family constraints she had to go back to her village. Since she is an intelligent child, hardworking and with lot of perseverance, she did her B.A, B.ed and PGDCA form Munger district.The distance of 15 km from her village is done by cycling! Remarkable child.She is teaching in a private school for a small amount Rs.2000/month as there is lot of restriction from the community in her village for girls education. How ever she is studying M.A and wants to do Phd in Education.I am in constant touch with her and the parents.She helps the village children in studies and a popular teacher. she helped a blind girl in studies and settled her in a hostel for differently abled children.

Her sister is also a B.ed and teaching in a Government school in Chhattisgarh. Mukesh Kumar

Mukesh joined ApnaSkool- Kalracentre in 2003 and completed his education till Class 3 from there. Seeing his dedication towards studies and promise that he showed, he was taken up in Apna Ghar- a hostel for the kids of migrant labourers. While continuing his studies in Apna Ghar he took keen interest in poetry writing and dramatics and went to perform to other cities along with his fellow students. He used to guide the younger kids at Apna Ghar in studies, poetry as well as dramatics. His widowed mother was an alcoholic. People used to tease him about that. Through persistent efforts, he tried convince her mother to give up alcohol. Things did get better and now she drinks only occasionally. Currently, he is pursuing graduation and teaches at one of the ApnaSkools. He loves studying and teaching and wishes to go for higher studies. Manish

16 year old Manish belongs to Jalaun district of UP, India. Moving with his four siblings and parentsseasonally between his village and brick kilns of Kanpur, he finished his primary schooling at Apna Skool. He exhibited keen interest in studies as well as other co-curricular activities of Apna Skool. To help him pursue education further and to mitigate the problem of discontinuity due to seasonal migration, his stay was arranged in Kanpur and with financial assistance from Apna Skool and from Vijaya didi, he continued his studies and appeared for High School examinations this year. When the brick kilns start functioning after monsoons, his parents come back to Kanpur, he stays with them at the brick kiln, helps them in their work and teaches the other kids in his free time. He loves playing cricket and wants to become a…. Mansi

Mansi, the second eldest among six siblings appeared for High School examinations this year. The family resided in under- construction or partially built buildings and has to move often between buildings.Providing for her education was difficult for her father, the only earning member of the family, who works as a daily-wager for whitewashing jobs. Mansi studied in Apna Skool Dhamikheda till Class 5 and then was admitted to another school with financial support from Apna Skool. She teaches two kids to earn Rs 150 per month and pays half her school fee with that. Occasional health issues render her incapable of teaching. The road ahead is still tougher as higher studies will be more expensive. Mansi encourages her other siblings to study all of whom go to school. She says her exams went well and is confident of getting good marks. She wants to be a nurse and serve people. Niranjan Kumar

A resident of one of the most backward states of India- Bihar, Niranjan is eighth and second youngest child of his parents. He was enrolled in ApnaSkool, Amiliha in 2012. After completing primary education there, he was admitted to an Inter College with financial help from ApnaSkool. For better after-school educational support and to mitigate the issue of discontinuity in schooling due to seasonal migration, he shifted to Kalyanpur. Keenly interested in sports, he bicycles 26 km daily to his school and back. He wishes to pursue sports and physical education. When he goes to his village, he likes to teach the children there to share the boon that he got-education.

Tarannum

Eighteen year old Tarannum has passed her 12th class from Kanpur. Her father, Sultan Khan is a rickshaw-puller and her mother, Kamar Jahan works as a cook. She has four younger sisters. While three of her sisters Anjum, Nahid and Muskan have passed the class 5th from Apna Skool Dhamikheda, one of her sister works as a cook, on the same lines as her mother.

Tarannum draws her inspiration from her parents who are not educated and put their level best effort to make their kids educated. Tarannum is good in studies and is known for being the most sincere student of her class. Besides studying, she likes reading newspapers, playing with skipping ropes, typing, cooking, sewing, embroidery and singing. She also teaches in Dhamikhera Apna skool where she studied upto 5th class. At present she wants to do bachelor's degree and teach the underprivileged children near her residence.

Sangeeta Sangeeta’s parents- landless farmers- had to move out of village to earn livelihood and to escape forced labour. Belonging to the so-called ‘lower caste’ they were exploited by the others and were never given any wages for the works they were made to do back in their village. At present they work in Vishnu brick kiln in Chaubeypur, Kanpur and studies in ApnaSkoolTatiyaganj. Quarrels in her family were regular events and his father smoked a lot. Learning from the teachers at ApnaSkool, she succeeded in persuading his father to quit smoking and could bring peace in her family. She likes to play Kabaddi and Kho-Kho. She aspires to become a teacher when she grows up and loves to play the host when guests visit her home. Hema

Hema’s parents Raso (mother) and Birju (father) migrate from Bihar with their entire family for six months in a year to work in the Brick kilns of Kanpur, UP. Together with her two brothers and one sister they make up in all six persons in the family, and because of their migratory lifestyle, none of the children is enrolled in a formal school.

Hema studies in grade two at Apna Skool, the community educational center run by Jagriti near her house, and she especially enjoys reading story books while in school. She likes to play kho-kho and enjoys playing on the swings with friends. She has learnt to be neat and meticulous, bathes and brushes her teeth everyday and keep her nails properly trimmed. She would like to become a teacher when she grows up and teach many children. She helps her mother in household chores. She likes to be of assistance to neighbors and the elderly. Hansraj

Hansraj appeared for his Intermediate examinations this year. Twelve years ago, neither his parents nor he had any idea that this will ever happen. Engaged in brick making with his entire family, Hansraj joined the nearby Apna Skool but was not very regular. Intensive work from 2 AM to 1 PM left him too exhausted to attend the school. Bringing him to school and convincing his parents to allow him to join Apna Ghar and study there took a lot of convincing as the heavy loans on the family required as many hands to work as possible.

Joining Apna Ghar was the turning point in his life. He loves acting and singing and has acted in many dramas in IIT Kanpur as well as other districts. Hansraj aspires to become and engineer and wants to open a school for children like him. Sight of children going to school always makes him smile.

Sagar, the youngest child of his parents, used to spend his entire day playing and wandering while his parents worked at Badhawan brick kiln in Kanpur. He joined Apna Skool there out of curiosity, seeing other children from his neighbourhood. He learnt things very fast and would tell his parents everything that happened at Apna Skool. Everyone in his family encouraged him to study. When Vijaya didi asked his parents to allow him to join Apna Ghar, they didn’t think twice. The environment at Apna Skool and PRAYAS-IIT Kanpur always inspired him.

First matriculate in his family, Sagar appeared in Intermediate examinations this year. He wants to become a doctor and take health services to those who cannot afford it. Like his other friends at Apna Ghar, he also loves acting and has performed in many plays. He loves to teach other kids in his spare time. When he goes back to his home in vacations, he helps his parents and other workers in their accounting so that they are not cheated by the contractors.