A carpenter living in a resettlement colony in Delhi works as a daily wage labourer to support his family of seven. His meagre earnings barely cover the basic needs of his family. Nevertheless, he dreams of educating all his children.

It is his dreams that allowed Bushra to join Shikshaantra when she came home one day and told him about the program. She was in Class 12 at the time and knew the importance of securing good grades in her high school examinations if she wanted to study further. With regular coaching from the teachers at Shikshaantra, Bushra scored a high 80% in her school leaving exams and this has motivated her to prepare for college. Bushra credits the marks she scored to all the teachers in Shikshaantra who made learning interesting and to her parents for keeping faith in her and her abilities. In today’s cut-throat, competitive world, it is very tough to achieve a high score without tuitions. In schools, nobody pays you any attention,” says Bushra. I’m lucky my Amma and Abbu agreed to let me join Shikshaantra. Since then, there has been no looking back. Everybody in Shikshaantra is so helpful and ready to guide us, not only in studies but also in personal issues. Shikshaantra is another home for us.”

Bushra is ready to pursue a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education to become a teacher and help other children with their studies. She is a source of strength to her parents and a role model for her four siblings and the other Shikshaantra children.