Annual Report 2010 - 11 - Purkal Youth Development Society

Success Stories
Narratives / stories written
by Anupma Khanna
Education provides dignity:
“Priya was born in an impoverished family with nine
siblings and a single uncertain source of minimal
earning. In conditions where getting two square meals
a day was a fight, dreams of an educated dignified
life seemed a battle already lost. That was ten years
ago when we proposed to support her in our learning
program. The parents’ response was quick and loud,
they would not spend a dime on the ‘useless big word’
called education. It took an unequivocal assurance
that they would not be asked to expend any money
on their young daughter’s learning that Priya became a
part of PYDS family. A decade on, the deprived aimless
child has grown into a confident well-read woman
excited about her forthcoming graduation. Determined
to do her bit in spreading education, she has decided
to become a college lecturer. Having undergone an
awakening, her parents who censured education as
a waste of money and time are now advocates of
literacy. In an attitudinal reversal, they are making sure
that each of their children, even those who missed
schooling, don the wings of learning to fly high.”
Toilets provide dignity to women:
“Given the financial scarcity of the community, till
around ten years ago most homes here had nothing
for a bathroom or a toilet. The concept of hygiene
virtually did not exist among them. The worst affected
were the women of the village, who had no option but
to bathe and excrete out in the open. Relegated to an
undignified lifestyle, they sneaked to covert recesses
before dawn and after dusk, making abortive attempts
to escape impious eyes. Shocked, our Society took the
lead and with the support of an NGO called ADOPT,
constructed 52 washrooms in these houses. Besides
the direct benefit, a positive spin off has resulted in an
attitudinal shift where even at an extra cost, all new
houses in the community are being built with toilets.”
More newspapers in this knowledge loving
community:
Increased youth literacy due to the society’s integrated
learning program has led to a more knowledge-loving
community. From a single newspaper copy at the
neighbourhood tea-shop serving the 1000 strong
population when the society began functioning, today
there are over 40 subscriptions from villagers of the
community. The demand is primarily from village
children studying in the English medium schools. “
Small family – more fulfilled homes:
“This is one of our greatest achievements; for the
first time these villagers have felt prosperity arriving
in their lives. Mechanical existence has replaced a
community-wide desire to ‘live’; hopes have taken
form. Dreams of progress have made these villagers
conscious of restricting their family sizes to improve
their living standards. In a bid to give a good future to
their children, almost all newlyweds in the community
now have been limiting the number of their offspring
to two. We see in Purkal today smaller, more fulfilled
homes.”
Ignited dreams:
“With a million dreams, they need wings of fire...
From a scenario when finding a spot as a policeman
or a soldier defined the upper limits of achievement
in the community, the ambitions of Purkal’s children
have witnessed a heartening ascent. With a dramatic
improvement in their education levels, they walk
shoulder to shoulder with youth from the affluent class;
and aim to become the best. We have today among
the poor hut-dwelling first generation learners of the
community, aspiring civil service officers, doctors,
engineers and scientists. The confidence good
education has instilled in the children has given a new
prideful face to their professional goals.”
Tourism:
“A small initiative to train young men for a career in
India’s growing tourism industry has yielded results
and is being expanded. Supported by our society,
four students completed a three year undergraduate
degree in Tourism from IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National
Open University), India’s most reputed open learning
university, and are now advancing Travel Executives.”
Engineering and Technology:
“Breaking away from the shackles of hopelessness
and illiteracy, 6 of our underprivileged students have
competed and secured admissions into engineering
colleges of repute. Displaying an uncommon grit to
ameliorate their lives, these teenagers are working
hard and showing good results. They are determined
to make it to the world’s best IT companies. We are
confident that they will.”
B.Pharma:
Living in a house with a thatched roof with the family’s
income coming from selling a rice meal out a pushcart,
Poonam Joshi was under the care of a hardly
educated father and a subservient illiterate mother.
She had little to look forward to from her future. A short
time with Poonam was adequate to sense that she
was desperate to break away from the existence she
had been cast to. Persistent persuasion resulted in
approval of her parents and the child got admitted to
a good English medium school. Early in her teens, she
realised that the one thing she breathed was the dream
to engineer science! What followed was a trail blazing
life. Today, Poonam is in the seventh semester of her
Bachelors in Pharmacy; working towards upholding
PYDS ANNUAL REPORT 51