Stories of grit: Orphaned siblings, forced to beg, score first class

The duo were eventually spotted by volunteers of the Rural Literacy and Health Programme (RLHP) at Bamboo Bazaar in the city and they were provided free shelter.
Manju and Sneha
Manju and Sneha

MYSURU: A brother-sister duo, who used to roam the streets of Mysuru, begging for money or picking up rotten vegetables to be sold to road side vendors for a rupee or two, have managed to become role models for street children around the city as they managed to score 71 per cent in their SSLC exams.

It has been a tough life for Manju and Sneha so far. Having lost their parents at a young age, they were raised by their grandmother Mary, a resident of Kurimandi slum in Kesare. With no support forthcoming from relatives, both Manju and Sneha would roam the streets, begging, in order to manage two meals a day for them as well as their grandmother.

The duo were eventually spotted by volunteers of the Rural Literacy and Health Programme (RLHP) at Bamboo Bazaar in the city and they were provided free shelter. The volunteers also admitted them to the JSS high school in BEML Layout, Srirampura.

This was the turning point in their lives as the duo were keen to put their past life behind them. Three months of focused studying, helped by the warden and their friends at Asha Kiran hostel, where they were staying, ensured that they clear the SSLC exam with great scores. At the hostel, six out of seven students who took the exam passed with first class marks.

“I want to help street children pursue their education with the best facilities. We were deprived of parental care but I want only success to each of my juniors,” Sneha said. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Sneha said that she wanted to study commerce and become a bank manager.

Manju, who has become the most popular resident of the boys hostel, has other plans. “I want to become a policeman and save children who are forced to become child labourers. I also want to rescue those into beggary, drop outs and orphans.”

Speaking about the performance of other students, RLHP Director Sarasvathy said, “We have another boy, Venkatesh, who lost his parents to ill health and was found on the streets with his younger brother and sister. We are happy that he has passed with first class,” she said.

Gayathri, a warden at the hostel said that the success story of these students has inspired several other children to get into schools.

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