Jeyanthini

My name is Jeyanthini, & I live in a town called Savukkady. I am presently studying in grade 8. I have five siblings and they are all married. I am the youngest in the family. Presently I live with my parents. My mother cannot walk and at times her speech is also impaired. My father has completely lost the sight in one eye and the sight in his good eye is also very poor. Yet he goes fishing because that is our only source of income. At times my father comes back empty handed and on days like that we get no money. As both my parents are sickly I have stopped going to school to help them. Due to our poor circumstances I still do not have the necessities I need to go to school regularly.

On the 11th of September 2008 a few of the staff from ADT came to our village and introduced the Change Makers Club programme. They also mentioned they would help the children from an educational point of view as well. Though I went on the first day they started the club I was not very interested. But I went back on the 2nd day as well. This time one of the staff members (a sister) talked to me and I told her the reason why I didn’t attend school. 

Later, she spoke to my father and mother about this matter. At the start my mother didn't like the idea of sending to me school because of our poor economic situation and also because there would be nobody to look after her if I went to school.

I attended another club meeting on the 18th of September 2008. Once again this sister came and met with my mother & explained the importance of sending me to school. This time my mother agreed to send me back to school. But there was a small problem. I didn’t have school uniforms, books or pens. All my school requirements were given to me by ADT and on the 4th of October 2008 I went back to school after 8 months. At the start it was hard to study and discipline my self, but now I’m getting used to it. I’m so happy because I can now continue my studies and I have no words to express thanks to ADT & its children and education sector for helping me go back to school.