Truly Alive

"Amma", the little girl came running towards her mother, her two piggy tails dancing by her side.

"Amma, a new madam came today. She is very good. We played games and she spoke to each one of us. She even promised she will not leave us", the girl beamed.

Her mother could see the joy in her daughter's eyes. After ages they were truly alive.

She kissed her and silently blessed this new teacher.

" Now you tell Abbu, I'm not going to sit with him in the vegetable market. I'm going to study and become a teacher like Pooja madam".

*******************************************************************************

This is a piece of fiction, written in 100 words for 

Write Tribe's 100 words on Saturday prompt ' Truly Alive'. 

But you can make this fiction a reality. You can, with just a click of your mouse, change the life of a bright, eager to learn child and make her come Truly Alive. Just look at the girls in the picture below, isn't their smile infectious? Wouldn't you want to be able to help these cute, innocent, lovable girls to achieve their dreams!!

Pooja Chopra with her Grade III class

Pooja Chopra, a dear friend, an Educationalist, an Economics graduate from the prestigious Lady Shri Ram College for Women and currently a fellow at Teach for India has a vision, a dream that all her students are able to "read good books, draw, play games, solve puzzles, think about their surroundings and be aware". A simple wish you and I may think. But it is not. Not that simple for this MCD school, Pratibha Nigam Vidyalaya, at Mandawli extension, near Akshardham, Delhi, which is seriously under resourced. In an effort to cultivate a reading habit in these children, she gives them story books for home everyday. She also wants to create a small resource center in the class for the same.

When I read her FB status and came across the Wishlist for her kids, I just knew I had to share it with you guys. We've all known the pleasure of a good story book. Dr. Seuss's wonderful adventures, the tales of Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, classics such as Heidi, Peter Pan, Moby Dick etc played an integral part in our growing up years. They widened our horizons, led us to an imaginative and creative world and has helped us become who we are today. Don't you think? I think it is our privilege that today we are in a position to contribute to the development of these young minds. So take out a little time and go through this wishlist and make someone's dream come Truly Alive.

http://www.flipkart.com/wishlist/PoojaChopra

If you are interested, please contact Pooja at pooja.chopra2013@teachforindia.org to know the shipment details. You may also inbox her if you wish to visit the school and/or take a day's workshop for these beautiful kids.

Let's do good. Do contribute and spread the word. Let's give these children wings!!

" Any book that helps a child to form a habit of  reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuous needs, is good for him"
- Maya Angelou

" To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life"
- W. Somerset Maugham