Manjula lost her parents at a very tender age and was left under the shadows of her grandparents. Being at a fragile age her grandparents could not attend to her needs both physically and financially. Due to old age and inability of bringing up a young child her grandfather got her admitted to ‘Avvai Home’, a OneStage supported NGO aided by Microsoft and D. E. Shaw through our workplace giving programme Give As You Earn. Avvai Home project is a shelter home for underprivileged women and children from Chennai slums which imparts formal education to the needy through English medium. 7-years-old Manjula was admitted in second grade in 2010.

After six years of receiving formal education, Manjula successfully completed her eighth grade at the institution. Life seemed on track when her grandmother’s illness struck and Manjula was forced to leave the institution and return to her grandparents’ house. While leaving the home she was determined not to discontinue her education, no matter how hard the circumstances may be. She took care of her grandmother and took control of household chores but attended her institution regularly with the same determination as a day scholar. Her grit and perseverance finally paid off when she cleared her secondary school board examinations with 77% in 2016. She got admission in Mohamed Sathak College of Arts and Science to pursue her undergraduate study in Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) with unflinching support from Avvai Home.

Today, Manjula is confident that she will complete her course with good grades and will get good placement to further support her grandparents and herself. She envisions a self-reliant, dignified and respectful future for herself. All this was possible due to the generous contributions of the employees of Microsoft and D. E. Shaw through our workplace giving programme Give As You Earn.

Through our CSR programme Aon employees supports Salaam Balak Trust