Lucknow school a home away from home for 18 underprivileged kids

Nine-year-old Mohd Ashaz sees his elder brother Abaan, 13, as his father figure

Nine-year-old Mohd Ashaz sees his elder brother Abaan, 13, as his father figure. Not only does he believe that Abaan will always ensure his well-being and safety, but Ashaz also finds comfort in his brother’s arms.

Lucknow school a home away from home for 18 underprivileged kids

“I was left speechless when both brothers were sent to me not because they were fighting, but because Ashaz wanted me to reprimand Abaan and instruct him to let the younger brother sleep in his arms at night,” said manager of St. Anjani School in Lucknow’s Rajajipuram area where the two boys are enrolled.

Ashaz and Aban lost their mother to the coronavirus. Their father, who works as an electrician in the Gulf, could not reach home in time due to lack of money.

The brothers are among the 18 underprivileged children, some of whom are very young, who lost their parent/s during the pandemic and had been living without much support from families or relatives.

After the death of their father, all the responsibilities of Deva, Prachi and Shivanki Singh fell on the shoulders of their mother, a tailor by profession. The youngest of the 18 kids who study at St Anjani School, is five years old while the oldest is 16.

Shivansh Jaiswal, 10, had lost his mother. So, he now cooks for his father, who works at a government school, early in the morning.

“Many children have lost their parents during the pandemic, and are not in a condition to continue education. This is why we decided to take some of them under our wing and give them the right that was taken from them by the unprecedented pandemic. We want to help these children fulfil their dreams,” said Saxena.

In addition to not charging fees from them, the school also provides these kids free uniforms, stationary items and concessions in other charges. A variety of activities are scheduled for the kids on Children’s Day such as special assembly, musical chairs, a slow-cycling race and a flash mob by teachers, she added.

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