Dear friends,
It has taken me quite a while to reconnect with you over the mail, although individually I have been in touch with many of you. I wish to brief you about some of the recent developments and the new families BRIDGE is working with.
Last month, BRIDGE was introduced to a family from Bihar and settled in Begur (outskirts of Bengaluru). The family consists of father who is blind and incapacitated, mother and eight children – six girls and 2 boys. Mother and one daughter are the earning members of the family since the time their father was incapacitated. They work in a garment factory earning Rs 6,000 each from which Rs 5,000 go for rent.
Now, what is remarkable, and something that I was excited about, is the fact that all the children are academically brilliant and are interested in pursuing their studies. The eldest girl was the Class 10 topper in her school, but was forced to stop her studies and was married off 5 years ago. The second girl also had to stop her studies and joined her mother as a garment factory worker as her mother’s income wasn’t sufficient to make both ends meet. The third girl is doing her BCom second year at BES College, Jayanagar. She travels for over one hour one side to attend the college. She works at some houses both before and after her college hours and earns about Rs 2000 to pay her fees. The next is a girl doing her I PUC at Loyola College, Bannerghatta Road. Next girl is in 7th Grade and others in 4th, 2nd and UKG. I was told they all score top grades in their classes. I met their school principal and she was all praise for these children. The principal is worried the children would be forced to stop studies for want of money. I visited the family along with the school principal and another teacher. All the children spoke good English when I met them in their little hut of a house. BRIDGE has sponsored two children and paid their fees.
I was introduced to another little boy in Mylasandra, near Electronics City. This boy lost his mother in an accident. His father deserted him soon after and married another lady and lives somewhere near Gulbarga. The boy is in the care of his mother’s elder sister who lives with her married daughter who also has a daughter who has a heart ailment and lives with the help of pacemaker. I visited them two weeks ago and found them living in abject poverty. BRIDGE has sponsored the studies/uniforms/books of the boy. (Photo attached – BRIDGE-Mylasandra)
Another family I met mid-October in Madiwala was in distress as the main breadwinner of the family had met with an accident and suffered head injuries. He had been in comma for several days. His wife, a teacher, had to use all their savings for his treatment. Although he is recovering, he will need months of treatment. He gets severe headache on one side of his brain and he hears sounds and echoes from one of his ears. Often he behaves like a child. They have a daughter who is in Grade 7 and had not paid her fees. BRIDGE has sponsored her studies until her father fully recovers and resumes work.
These are just three new families BRIDGE has adopted in the past two months out of many needy ones that I am introduced to. Since the resources of BRIDGE is limited, we are forced to pick and choose.
I am also happy to share with you that there has been an improvement in the flow of contributions to BRIDGE and I take this opportunity to thank each of you for your contributions and your efforts to spread the word about A BRIDGE Over Troubled Waters. Since all of us are working professionals, we can spare only a limited time for the BRIDGE cause. I suppose that’s fine as we all know a great life isn’t about big things, it’s about small things that make a big difference. Stay happy your efforts make a difference in the lives of many.
May the Good God reward you all!