Children are the hope for a better future. But their presence depends on the hands of their parents. But, unfortunately, thousands of parents are not able to give their children the life they deserve. From not providing food at least twice a day to not sending them to school, the signs of poverty are everywhere.
Those in power may have a few financial schemes for such underprivileged souls, but they are not enough to improve their lives. How can you change such children that you see on the road without helping them with money? The best way is to educate them so that they can escape the vicious grip of poverty.
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Convincing parents to send their kids to school.
Children will be eager to learn if their parents push them. This is the first barrier that you need to overcome. You have to convince the parents that they are doing this for their children’s better future. Some parents may not want to send their kids because you are a stranger to them. You shouldn’t force those who don’t like to send their children. Work with the ones you get.
Instead of luring them with money, attract their attention with books, colored pencils, pens, and coloring books. You can even convince the parents by saying that you would give them a wholesome meal if they send the children to study.
Convincing parents, arranging books for children according to their age groups, and teaching the kids may seem too much work for you. However, this isn’t a one-person job. You can try asking for help from your friends, colleagues, or relatives. If no one comes forward, you can use your weekends to teach the kids. Sometimes, people join a program after watching others. When others see that you are doing a good job, they want to join voluntarily.
Look for scholarship programs.
Many NGOs have scholarship programs for the underprivileged. Talk to some NGOs and see whether they can help. For example, Global 360 currently sponsors tertiary education for ten engineering and medical students from poor backgrounds. They are also planning to build a school in India for orphaned kids and supply educational materials and stationery.
You can even become a teacher in such schools if you can’t convince parents or don’t find them enthusiastic about letting their children get the education they need. But if you get even a couple of kids to come to your place and study, that’s a win for you. Remember, it’s not about how many kids you start with. It’s the intention that matters. Even if you are helping two kids change their lives, that’s more than what most people will ever do.
Poverty is something that makes people forget about education. But that’s the challenge you need to take. You have to convince the parents that even though poverty is their biggest problem right now, the situation won’t remain the same if their kids get an education. It would help them get a job later and make a living instead of feeling hopeless and doing nothing to break the cycle.
