ABHISHEK OF PROJECT MALA
Location: Garauli Parav, India
Description and Impact:
Abhishek, from the Village of Garauli Parav, attends a Project Mala School in which the scholarships are provided by Worldwide Education Fund of the Dallas Foundation (WEF). He comes from a Hindu family and lives with 8 people: parents, grandparents, 3 sisters (one of who also studies at the Guria Project Mala school), and one brother. His father and grandfather, both carpet weavers, are the only members of the family who earn an income. Their compact home is built on unirrigated land and consists of 3 bedrooms, 2 mudrooms, and a hand pump for water. Typically, in situations like these, the children are often discouraged to land and consists of 3 bedrooms, 2 mudrooms, and a hand pump for water. Typically, in situations like these, the children are often discouraged to mudrooms, and a hand pump for water. Typically, in situations like these, the children are often discouraged to allot an abundance of time to attend school and rather they are encouraged to begin working immediately in order to earn an income that could financially help support the family. However, in Abhishek’s case, WEF through Project Mala has helped him in numerous ways by not only providing a stable path to obtain an education but by also providing regular medical attention needed to sustain his health.
Abhishek comes from a sizable family yet realizes the value of education and appreciates WEF efforts to hold his hand while he makes something of himself. Having recently turned 15, he is the oldest child out of the 5 siblings and longs to follow his father’s footsteps in obtaining an education that will one day get him a sustainable job with which he can support his family. Abhishek’s father is the only adult in his family who is able to read and write and although literacy is an impressive educational level to achieve, Abhishek hopes to surpass that with the schooling Project Mala provides. Moving forward, Abhishek plans to attend challenging classes such as chemistry and physics while also taking two language classes concurrently: English and Hindi. Abhishek states that similar to his father, Abhishek also has a passion for broadening his knowledge as he says
“I want to make my career and that is not possible without education”.
He is thankful beyond words for the invaluable opportunities this project has offered him and the scholarships WEF provided and he also realizes the hard work and encouragement put into the behind the scenes of the entire operations when he stated that “sponsors are our second parents who are educating us and making us able to dream for a bright future”.