Spotlight Children of the Week: 5/9/2014

I turned my focus this week to India. I have been researching educational opportunities and the system in place there, so the country was on my mind as I browsed through the waiting children list. I found three girls who speak minority languages only--not one of them speaks Hindi at all.

Two-year-old Shalini lives with her parents on a monthly income of only $70. Their home is made up of brick walls and a concrete floor with a corrugated tile roof. They are fortunate to have regulated electricity, but must obtain their water from a community pump. Shalini is still too young for school. She enjoys playing with dolls. Shalini speaks Bengali.

Fifteen-year-old Sajiya lives with her parents and three siblings in a home of concrete floors, brick walls and a tile roof. The family of six struggles to survive on a monthly income of only $80. They have illegally-tapped electricity and must get their water from community faucets. Against the odds, Sajiya is still attending school. She speaks Urdu.

Twelve-year-old Firdosh lives with her parents and one sibling on a monthly income of only $66. Their home is entirely concrete: floor, roof and walls. They have illegally-tapped electricity and must get their water from community faucets. Firdosh attends school, and in her free time she enjoys playing indoor games. She speaks Urdu.