Boaders of Bal Suraksha Abhiyan Trust, a child labour rehabilitation centre run by Catholic nuns in Kalimpong.
Arvind Rai, who hails from Mungpoo, 35 km from Darjeeling " does not have a father and mother " but today he believes he has found many mothers in the nuns who have given him hope to sustain a living as an 11 year - old boy before taking to rag-picking. He does not have have mother and father, His mother died recently.Fortunately, when we found him, he was dropout not for a very long time. We immediately decided to enrol him in class VI at Kumudini Homes in Kalimpong and he was always determined to change his life through studies"said Sister Subeshna Thapa, the Director of the trust.
Arvind obtained 354 Marks(70.8%) in the class XII exams.
Laxmi Tamang spent her childhood days as a domestic help,After Laxmi's father death. I think their own relatives treated her badly and she was sent as a domestic help to a family in kalimpong. The couple in Kalimpong did send her to school but her non -school hours were mostly spent on doing household chores. The lady at the house had arthritis and Laxmi ended up doing most of the domestic chores"said Sister Subeshna.
The girl passed class XII from St. Philomina's School in Kalimpong with 306 marks(61.2%).
The duo are the first from the centre to sit for the higher secondary examinations and their success is bound to be a morale boaster for other boaders.The centre has 99 boaders, 50 girls and 49 boys.
Both Arvind and Laxmi have made up their mind to help the centre in future."I want to be a lawyer as i want to give back something to the centre and the sisters who have looked after me. I will continue to study as much as i can and make the sisters proud " Arvind said.
Laxmi wants to be a block development officer. "I want to do social work and help the needy. I have realised that if I become a BDO i will be able to visit remote villages and share people's pains"said Laxmi who comes from Tarkhola about 20 Km from Kalimpong.
Source: The Telegraph