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Hemlata Yadav, Head Teacher
Satya Bharti School, Mohanpur, Haryana
Hemlata belongs to a lower middle class village in a village in Haryana. One of three siblings, Hemlata was brought up in a joint family, often neglected because of the financial condition of the family. When Hemlata finished her school leaving examinations, she decided she would study further and go to college. However, her decision was disapproved of by her family members and her engagement was fixed at the age of 16 years. However, she fought hard and managed to pass her graduation and was the only girl to have graduated from college in her entire village.
Soon after she was married off. After her marriage Hemlata realized that her husband had not passed college as he had claimed and had left studies in his first year of graduation. As a result he was now unemployed and often mixed with bad company in the village. Hemlata fought hard again against her in-laws and managed to complete her B.Ed and MA with utmost difficulty. She also realized that she would have to start working soon to be able to meet the financial requirements of the house.
It was at this time that a vacancy for the Satya Bharti School was announced in the village. Hemlata applied for the post and got selected as a teacher. However, there was major opposition from her inlaws and she often got abused because of her decision to work. Her husband even came to the school and abused her in front of all the students and teachers. It was at this time that Hemlata’s colleagues stood by her and helped her fight and retain her job at the school. Hemlata worked hard and was soon selected as Head Teacher of the school. She also performed exceptionally well during the HT Performance Assessment Tests conducted by Bharti Foundation. For Hemlata, this is just the beginning. Her story is an inspiration for many more girls in her village.
Renu, Student
Satya Bharti School, Mohanpur, Haryana
Renu has four siblings and lives in Mohanpur, Haryana. Renu’s father is unemployed and an alcoholic. Renu’s younger siblings work in the nearby village and earn money for the family. Renu was brought to the Satya Bharti School in the village by a friend. Seeing the school, Renu wanted to study but was afraid of telling her parents. The teachers of the school soon visited her house and tried to talk to her parents, persuading them to let Renu attend school. However, her mother was adamant not to send Renu to school because she was in charge of the housework. However, the teachers continued their visits to Renu’s house till the time her parents gave in and finally allowed Renu to attend school. Renu now attends school regularly and studies in Class IV. She has also ranked third in her class and has been adjudged the Best Sports Girl among all the Satya Bharti Schools in the district.
Simran, Student
Satya Bharti School, Safipur, Punjab
Simran studies in Pre-Primary at the Satya Bharti School in Safipur, Punjab. Attending school on a regular basis, Simran was soon able to fluently read and write all alphabets of the English and Punjabi language and was also able to count till 50. But Simran was unlike any other girl in her school or village. After returning home from school everyday, Simran never went out to play with her friends. Instead she persuaded her parents to paint her a small blackboard at home. Simran used this blackboard to teacher her younger sister Gagan and her friends everything she learnt at school. Now Gagan has also learnt to count till 20 and seeing Simran, her friend, Paramjeet Kaur has also started to attend the Satya Bharti School in the village. Simran’s grandfather, influenced by her, has also learnt how to write his own name.
M. Hemalata, Head Teacher
Satya Bharti School, Thenkarai, Tamil Nadu
Hemalata travels 29 km every day to teach at the Satya Bharti School in Thenkarai village in Tamil Nadu. Spending more than three hours traveling on a daily basis, Hemalata often travels to school even on a holiday so that she is able to finish all her pending work, things she is unable to do on regular school days. Hemlata is an inspiration to the other teachers in the school and the parents of the students. Seeing her dedication a lot of the parents insist that their children should study at the Satya Bharti School and send their children to the school from as far as 12 km. Hemlata has also inspired the other teachers in the school to contribute a certain amount from their meager salary towards the transportation costs of the students so that the children are able to come to school everyday. It is her dedication and commitment that has earned the Satya Bharti School The School Excellence Award in 2009-10 and also an A grade for excellent performance this year.
Amandeep Kaur, Teacher
Satya Bharti School, Khanpur, Punjab
Amandeep Kaur is a teacher at the Satya Bharti School in Khanpur. Amandeep has physical disabilities and is unable to walk. Though she belongs to a poor family Amandeep fought against her circumstances and is now a M.A. and a B.ed. While studying in school, Amandeep used to travel by her tricycle to another village. She always had the support of her parents and it was her parents who forced her to take on the job of a teacher at the Satya Bharti School. Today Amandeep is very happy with her current role. In the initial days Amandeep’s father used to drop her to school everyday. However, over time Amandeep has learnt to become self sufficient and now travels all alone to school.
Birpal Kaur, Student
Satya Bharti School, Akoi Sahib, Punjab
Birpal Kaur studies in std. III at the Satya Bharti School in Akoi Sahib, Punjab. Travelling from Katarpura, a village 3 km away, Birpal is a very hardworking and enthusiastic student. Before being admitted to the Satya Bharti School, Birpal studied at a private school in her village. Her father learnt of the Satya Bharti School from his friends and visited it to know more about the school and the program. Impressed by what he saw, he started sending Birpal to the school. However they soon realized that sending Birpal to school was costing them almost Rs 200 a month and decided to discontinue here education. It was then that Birpal decided to take the matter into her own hands. She spoke to her parents and urged them to send her to school. When they refused, Birpal started collecting all the money she received from family members as presents and used them for conveyance charges. Seeing her enthusiasm her parents have given into her requests and allow her to go to school. They now also attend all the parent teacher meetings regularly and are happy about the achievements of their daughter.
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