When you meet Bharathi C for the first time, she comes across as a shy little girl who takes time to speak to new people but still makes a brave effort to communicate. She comes from a poor but educated family in Bangalore. We were genuinely surprised to hear that despite her father being only a simple construction worker and her mother being a domestic help in a few houses, the parents ensured all their children (three daughters) were well educated.
Bharathi’s father did not have much work during the pandemic, and the family struggled with finances. However, she worked hard and topped her school with 92% in her final board exams. When the Project Head of Namma Shale – Reaching Hand heard of this, our organization decided to help Bharathi with her higher education. We raised funds to get Bharathi a scholarship and ease the family of at least one financial burden.
Bharathi’s scholarship is well-rounded, covering the cost of her books, uniforms, and her PU college fees. Understanding the vital need for technology to study during the pandemic, Reaching Hand also gifted her a laptop and a tablet to help her attend classes online.
Reaching Hand had been associated with Bharathi’s school GHS for a few years, helping the school construct a toilet so older girls do not drop out of school after they start menstruating. We also set up STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Labs in the school, giving 499 children the opportunity to develop a passion for science early on.