By Kirthana Iyer
A couple weekends ago, I got to go to Chicago to visit my friends and watch BU’s Indian dance competition (link here!!) While watching the show, the club that hosted it at Northwestern University talked about the philanthropy that they partner with. It was for an organization called Shanti Bhavan, which I learned is pretty incredible and I think everyone should know about it.
Here’s the gist: All children deserve an equal chance at education regardless of where they are in the caste system, what gender they are, or how dark their skin is.
I know, you’re probably thinking “Kir, c’mon now we live in the 21st century, everyone can get an education now or find a way to get it!”
Well, you would be wrong.
Unfortunately, in many parts of rural India, children, especially girls, aren’t granted those same rights. Families in rural India see girls as a burden, rather than as a blessing because they have to marry off and pay a dowry, a common practice in rural India. So, it’s hard. Families are put in a tough position but it leads them to do really drastic things just to survive.
During the show, we heard the stories from two girls. Their family members couldn’t handle the burden of them and wanted to get “rid” of them. One girl talked about how her father wanted his wife to get an abortion but it was too late so he wanted nothing to do with her. The other told the sad tale of when her grandfather tried to strangle her and she was saved by her own father.
Then, both of these girls were sent to Shanti Bhavan, a home, and an escape. This non-profit organization serves not only as a school but as a family and safe place. Here, children who were not helped by their own families can get an education and make something of themselves even when all odds were against them.
Photo via Tufaan Entertainment
It’s truly incredible what these kids at Northwestern and many other schools are doing: every summer they go to this rural school in South India and help teach classes, listen to their music, play with them, and live with them. It’s total cultural immersion and you see a new perspective and gain respect for a type of education that isn’t really seen here.
Photo via Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project
You and I got lucky because, in some way or another, someone out there is supporting us. For me, it’s my whole family but my number one who I turn to when things are hard is my dad.
Just last week, I called him in tears stressing about a midterm and he just listened and told me it was going to be okay. That was something that these girls didn’t have. They couldn’t just call their parents whenever they wanted because they didn’t have someone supporting their every move. They didn’t have someone to call in the middle of the night when they are just losing faith.
But Shanti Bhavan is there to serve as their family and to truly make a difference in these children’s lives. Which is why I think it’s incredible and I think everyone should know about. So, here’s a link :’) go check it out! It’s absolutely worth the time! Go go! Help the cause and spread the word! :)
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