“Whenever I look into the mirror, I see myself as an IAS Officer. I will toil hard and become one, one day,” says Anju.
Anju Rani is one of the three children of Mr Jay Prakash, a resident of Asha’s Tigri slum community. About 30 years ago, Jay, who was a naive young man by then, packed his bags from Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh and migrated to Delhi in search of a job. Certainly, the hustle bustle of the capital city gravitate millions but that ends up in vain, for the majority. An educated Jay started working in a leather factory but as the family grew to six, with one son and two daughters, survival became tough. He hunted for a new job and ended up driving a rented auto. The everyday toiling kept him to look after his children’s education and nearly 12 years ago, Asha intervened.
With the motivational support from Asha, Anju began attending the sessions conducted by the Asha team on a regular basis. Thanks to the guidance and supplemental notes by Asha, she secured the first position in her seventh standard. Living in the 6-yard long shanty with a paper-thin roof, she grabbed attention for her determination and hard work. The studious Anju, who topped in most of her grades, took admission in an Evening college.
“I never stop thanking God for bringing Asha in my life. It brought me a hope of growth and happiness in my life abundantly,” says Anju, 20, an Asha student.
She gave tuitions to pay half of her college fees while Asha helped her pay the other half. “I am happy that Asha helped me to secure a seat in one of the premium Universities for I could get to intern with the Norwegian and British Embassies and gather wonderful experiences from there,” says Anju.
Anju progressed to become another bread-earner in the family. Also, Jay Prakash now drives his own auto.
With the help of Asha, Anju has recently bagged a part-time job opportunity with the Danish Embassy’s visa section and looking forward to joining it the next week. We wish her good luck for the wonderful opportunity.
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