AND HER SMILE
From her shy beginnings, with her face sometimes worried, Amuda is the perfect embodiment of Indian Smiles. As she grows up, she shines and blossoms.
Amuda is the youngest of four siblings, with two brothers and a sister. Her father is now deceased and her mother lives on household jobs to support her family needs. Amuda's family is tightly united, they supported her throughout all her studies. Amuda is now an independent woman, the first Indian Smiles child to have completed her studies.
Her story in a few lines
2008 : Amuda is the second girl whose education is supported by Indian Smiles.
Everything started in early 2008, when Ra Foundation informed Michèle Fériaud that Ra team had "identified" four children in the streets of Mumbai, whose parents accepted to entrust them to a boarding school so they could attend class properly.
Since the academic starts in June in India, we had to decide quickly in order to proceed with enrolment. Michèle received a picture of Amuda. Aged 10, she still had both of her parents, they were homeless. Her sister and two brothers attended school but had underpaid jobs in the streets to help their parents.
Indian Smiles then decided to sponsor Amuda so she could go to Sanjeewan Vidyalaya boarding school in Panchgany, near Mumbai, as from June 2008. Her father later died of tuberculosis and the mother struggled to maintain her four children's education. She managed to take them off the streets and settled with them in a single room located in a slum. A small victory...
History proves that mothers, like Savita (Rekha's mother), are much more willing than fathers to send their daughters at school. They understand the stake of educating girls, in order to bring them the empowerment that Indian women are still far from obtaining. An unfortunate fact shared with many other countries.
For Sunil Nayak, as well as for Michèle Fériaud, it is essential to participate in changing mentalities. Schooling and education for girls should become a right and not a choice (not mentioning that of boys). Amuda will benefit from the two associations' follow up until she graduates and will undergo higher education depending on her abilities.
First encounter with Amuda : In November 1st, 2008, Michèle Fériaud went to India where she met Amuda, her mother and her older sister. Amuda is pretty, charming, dazzling. Using her first English words, she gave a little speech to express her thanks. Of course, she has been told again and again not to forget her mother tongue, Hindi, so she will be able to communicate with her mother.
The meeting organised by Sunil N. and Sonali from Ra Foundation was brief but very emotional. It is very rewarding to meet with these families. We are conscious of how lucky we are to be able to contribute to Ra Foundation's efforts and to have had the opportunity to meet a strong woman such as Amuda's mother.
Education : After a smooth secondary education, Amuda entered Mumbai SNDT College, where she studied business and trade. She expressed her will to work as an accountant, or maybe as a teacher to share the luck she had to receive an education. She was also interested in computing.
She is considered by her relatives and neighbours as a role model. It is not often a child from the streets speaks fluent English and even less to pursue higher education!
Amuda graduated in 2018. She will finally become an accountant! She is the first child of Indian Smiles who exits our sponsorship.
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