Help pours in for Gurgaon security guard who teaches poor children

Gurgaon citizens have come forward to help Lakhan Athya, who teaches underprivileged in a Gurgaon park

Following a report by HT on how a 22-year-old private security guard, Lakhan Athya, was teaching underprivileged children in Sector 57, many residents came forward to help Athya sustain his initiative.

There is an overwhelming response from Gurgaon citizens to help 22-year-old security guard Lakhan Athya, who teaches the underprivileged children in a Sector 57 park. (Parveen Kumar / HT photo)

An NRI from San Francisco, Sunny Singh, on reading about the initiative, met Athya just a few hours before his flight home and donated books, stationery items and a blackboard on Friday. He assured Athya of continued support.

He is encouraging other students in the area to also do their bit for the underprivileged,” Pushp Dahiya, a resident of Sushant Estate, said.

Athya said he is hoping for more support from residents. He said he does not want a financial donation but urged people to provide stationery and books for the children. Athya said the children will require continuous support as they keep progressing and is worried that his current income might not suffice to meet the demands in the future. He appealed to residents to help him teach the children, whenever possible.

“They are bright students and just need a little help from us,” Pushp said.

Gaurav Sharma, another volunteer, said, “It was a great experience to be a part of this endeavour. It felt good to reach out to these kids. I loved spending time with them and hope I can motivate more people to be part of this initiative.”

Residents have also asked their children to donate their books and school bags to the underprivileged children. Some residents are also planning to host a weekly quiz for them and give schoolbags, lunch boxes, water bottles, crayons and other stationery to those who provided correct answers. “We don’t want them to feel as if we were doing it for charity,” Jyotsna Anand said.

“I saw that these kids are not attending school. Their parents work as labourers and barely make enough to eat. I have only studied till Class 9 but feel that I can bring these kids up to my level at least. I work night shifts so I can make myself available during the day to teach them. These kids don’t have much and many a times I save a little from my salary to buy books for them,” Lakhan, a volunteer, said