Dear Friends,

There was a poignant moment for me last Monday morning, June 1st. I'll describe what happened...

After the summer holidays were over, all the children came back into the centre for the new school year. Most schools have two months' holidays but, for educational reasons, we have only two weeks.

At Assembly, the composition of the new learning groups was announced - some children moved up one group and some newcomers, whose ability had only just been established, moved down a group. Our best students were assigned to ordinary schools wherever possible, with any expenses paid by SISP. And prizes were awarded as a result of last year's tests which were held just before the holidays.

Many of our children in our centre come with the idea that they are the dumbest. In other schools they might have been ignored or ridiculed. Their home situations are often harrowing with no one on their side, nobody interested in the child or his/her education, or what their results are. One parent is usually absent for various reasons.

Nurah lives alone with his sister and mother in a hut. Mother is mentally disturbed due to syphilis which her husband gave her and who, after she became ill, left her in the lurch. The family succumbed to poverty and fell apart. Nurah truanted more and more, suffering from malnutrition and weakness, and finally came to our centre two years ago, at age 11. He was very confused, rebellious, but hungry for love and attention. Many hospital visits, many home calls and many check-ups, and now, here we are two years later, on Monday morning, with his name being called by our education coordinator George, top of his group. When he heard his name his face beamed with a smile from ear to ear. A thunderous applause broke out among his fellow students and continued until he had come up and collected his prize.

As I handed it to him the events of the past two years flashed through my mind. I had to swallow hard, my eyes watered and I felt the hairs on my skin prick with emotion. For me, events like this make it all worthwhile - this is what it is all about.

Drop-outs, the smallest of the small, the poorest among the poor, can achieve great things if only someone supports them, believes in them, and helps them stand tall.

This is what we do, dear friends, and it is you who makes all this possible.

Thank you! For making hopes and dreams become a reality.

Paul

Kovalam, Friday, June 5, 2009