Pallabi is a former student of the New Life Centre, Sarberia, India. Using snippets from her regular updates over the years, project coordinator, Tess Molloy tells us Pallabi’s story.
Pallabi’s story
It has been my privilege to watch the children grow over the years that I have been visiting the NLC. Not only physically but in their potential, which is all the more important when they are born into such a disadvantaged community.
2008
I took this first photo of Pallabi in 2008. This was my first visit to the New Life Centre school and she is in front of the building Hands Around the World volunteers helped local builders to build. Alindra Naskar had built the first school building in 2005 with his pension from the Leprosy Mission.
Pallabi’s father – a manual labourer – was determined that his children would succeed where he hadn’t, and so Pallabi and her brother have remained at the NLC.
2014
Six years later, a new building was being erected. It would provide essential extra classrooms and a dedicated room for the Tailoring course for women.
Pallabi is one of the lucky ones, she has stayed on at the school despite lack of funds, local mistrust of why girls need to be educated, and fear for her safety as she goes to and from school.
All of these things we take for granted in the UK; education for these children is essential if they are ever to escape the poverty trap, and yet at the same time fraught with difficulties.
Here she is looking, older, smarter and ever hopeful that these new buildings will enable her to reach her potential in life; the right of any child surely?
2023
Here is Pallabi today on the cusp of University. She has become a self-assured young woman who has choices. Pallabi is unsure whether to study Art – her passion – or Geography. She will be the first in the family to attend University.
How is success measured in education? One individual’s story at a time.