“When I grow up, I want to be a Collector and aid those who are in need of basic necessities such as food, clothes, shelter, healthcare, and education.” I want to look after my grandparents and please them. I owe them everything.”

This is Rakesh’s dream, a 14-year-old youngster who is now struggling to finish his schooling and attain his ambition.

There is, nevertheless, still reason to be optimistic.

Tiny Humans, Big Dreams

Rakesh’s father died while he was just a child. “My mother’s dreams were ripped away by his death, and she turned her back on me.” He told The Better India, “I’ve been living with my grandparents since then.” Rakesh has persevered all these time due to his perseverance. While his days began early with housework such as washing clothes and filling the water heater, he eagerly anticipated the time he would be able to attend school.

Rakesh is a government school student in Bengaluru who has struggled to stay up with the fundamentals of his academics. But it didn’t seem to bother him in the least. He has, on the other hand, worked hard to develop himself.

Meanwhile, he witnessed his grandma, who is now 63, perform odd jobs in school to support him. His granddad is still working in the construction industry.

Rakesh’s ambition to make a difference has motivated him through the harsh realities of a disadvantaged life. He was never one to give up, and he avidly pursued his education in the hopes of bettering his life and the lives of others around him.

However, the arrival of an extraordinary epidemic gradually dimmed his optimism. His grandparents, like so many others, have been battling to get back on their feet after losing their employment, with Rakesh remains the family’s last chance for survival. He’s been thinking about dropping out of school to obtain a job since June of 2021. This appears to be the only option to make things go more smoothly.

Many youngsters, like him, are ensnared in intricate webs of scarcity, coercion, and helplessness.

Madhumita, who is the first female in her family to obtain any formal education, is another such young student. Madhumita dares to dream of becoming a teacher and spreading the gift of knowledge, despite the fact that her father is a daily wage worker and her mother is a domestic servant.

However, when families are barely surviving on one meal a day, education might seem like a faraway dream.

Project Dream School

The Better India has been assisting students in Bengaluru’s government, semi-government-aided, and private schools since last year. These youngsters have gone another step closer to realising their ambitions because of your gift to this campaign.

Thirty of these pupils will start Class 10 tomorrow. However, they will not be able to achieve their goals without our help. We implore you to step up once more to assist them in remaining in school and finishing their degree.