This is Manju M.A., B.Ed ( Tamizhkaliarasai ) working as Assistant Professor ( English ) in AIAT B. Voc College, Auroville. I would like to thank the entire Reach for the Stars team and its donors for changing my life completely. Now I am a proud professor, working mom of a girl baby because of you. If it was not you I would have married at a very young age and lived a life of a typical housewife. Now I am very happy, I wanted to be an English teacher and I have achieved my dream. It makes me even happier that I am serving the community where I grew up.
Let me Explain how I came across Reach for the Stars and what difference did it make in my life:
I come from a very economically and socially backward family. My mother was and is a house keeping person in a retreat in Auroville, my father was a painter (building) and we are three sisters (single girl child itself is considered a burden for the family). I fortunately studied in Auroville School (New Creation & After School) which was free up to 12th standard. After I completed my high school, my family and relatives asked to find any simple job in a textile shop doing billing work since my family was not able to afford to pay the fee for college education. I was confused about what to do next. During this crucial time a friend introduced me to Reach for the Stars and asked me to contact them. As soon as I filled out the application and handed it to them, they spoke full of hope, with positivity and encouraged me to achieve what I wanted to if I have the will power and work hard for it. They also made me feel that women too can get education instead of getting married young or going to work to save money for the dowry system.
How they helped me in other ways
Of course they gave us financial help which was the primary thing for all of us. Apart from that they also provide us English classes so that we could improve our language skill since English is the medium of instruction in all the colleges and almost all of us struggled learning and understanding it. On the other hand they also helped us keep our mental health well. Most of us had a drinking father or any other family related problems which we could open up and discuss it with the team which kept our mind and heart at peace.
I thank you all from my bottom of heart. I wish you the best for the future and I am sure lot and lot more young minds are going to benefit by you all. Thanks a lot!
Manju
