Saluting after-school gurus for going the extra mile

Dinesh Kumar, who recently completed his engineering degree and now works at a popular organisation, recalled his turbulent school days. “I studied in a government school and when I was in the ninth standard, my dad passed away. I was having a very tough time keeping up with my studies. So, I joined Bhumi, an NGO that has volunteers educating and mentoring children from underprivileged backgrounds. Initially, they helped me with my subjects and also taught me computer science skills. I got interested in the subject and completed a diploma. Since I was studying in a Tamil medium school, the volunteers helped me hone my English. So, I pursued engineering and finally, got placed,” he beamed. 

During his struggle, Dinesh decided to help others, who hailed from a similar background. “During my second year of engineering, I started teaching science, math and computer science to the children at the Bhumi centre. Many come from homes where the parents are into substance abuse. When they tell us about their problems, we motivate them to focus on studies. For those who are confused about their career paths, we help them decide. My life has changed due to these after-school programmes and I want to ensure other children too, are benefited from this,” he added. 

Natarajan Raman, Managing Trustee of Dream India, had been conducting weekend programmes for children studying in the Adyar Government School since 2008. “Apart from helping them with studies, we build a relationship with the children. We keep in touch with those who pass out and offer support, so they can pursue higher studies. We conduct sessions on the other aspects of life – how to fill a postal form, how to open a bank account and personality development. Because of our relationship, the children know they have someone they can turn to,” he added. 

Khushbu Doshi, who teaches at Eureka Aid India, Royapettah Centre, said the focus is to also inculcate good manners. “For us, the biggest challenge is to teach the children good values, so they grow up into responsible citizens. Since they come from slums, they have a different mindset, which makes it challenging. But this is the most rewarding too,” she concluded.