Every girl deserves an education - CINI

My name is Meghna, and this summer, I spent three weeks in India volunteering at an open centre for CINI, set up for young girls living in the slums of Calcutta.

In the time that I was there to teach them, I learnt a lot about their home lives, and I learnt just how strong these girls are. These young girls are bright, smart, happy and full of potential, despite the incredible difficulties of living in the slums.

I have walked through these slums and I have walked through the red light areas, seeing the homes of the children I was teaching.

Families of four to five people are living in what can only be described as a room. Children are living in homes fashioned out of sheets of metal, tied together to create shelter.

Some of these girls are the children of sex-workers, and are vulnerable to all kinds of danger; not only the danger of where they live, but also the danger of how this may impact their future.

Many of these children go to school very infrequently, if ever at all. The government schools that they go to are poorly supplied, with subpar teaching and no structure. These young girls are failing to learn anything valuable. Seeing their parents earn money, through sex-work, without needing an education can result in these vulnerable girls believing there is no use of completing school. If something like sex-work looks like a certain way of bringing in money, this is what they may choose.

This cycle must be stopped. These young girls deserve a good education. They deserve to have a chance at achieving their dreams.

The open centre provides activities and lessons for these children, encouraging them to think creatively and to study what they find interesting. I taught Art to some wonderfully creative girls, and could carry out brilliant conversations in English with others. I met a girl who dreams of being a lawyer, so that she can work to help those in the slums, at costs they can afford.

These children are compassionate and intelligent, and deserve a chance for more.

But, the open centre can only do so much. The centre provides three meals a day for the children as well, meaning limited funds can be focused towards their education.

With more resources, these girls can excel. They can be excited by an education, instead of disheartened, and be given the chance to fulfil their dreams and aspirations. Girls of poor families in India are already often discouraged from getting an education. Many families in the slums don't bother putting their children into school, because they want the children to start working and earn money as soon as possible. And if a girl isn't pushed to work from a young age, she is often married off as a child instead.

But when a child doesn't get an education, it makes it much more difficult for them to earn any more than what they start with, leaving them stuck on a less than sufficient wage and stuck in the slums indefinitely.

Donating just a small sum can make all the difference. You could be buying a girl the textbook, which makes her realise her fascination for Biology. Or you could be buying a girl the paints, which allow her to find a passion for Art.

Your money could help a child with their education, and give them a life beyond the poverty they were born into.

Please, help these girls break out of the slums of India.

Give them a chance at a proper education.

Give them a chance at life.