VELLORE: It’s sheer determination and resilience that helped G Ananthi (21), leave her past life as a child labourer behind, to secure an emphatic win in the class 10 boards. Hailing from a scheduled tribe community in Jawadhu hills, Ananthi, the daughter of a daily-wage labourer, has recorded an impressive score of 379 in the examination.
At the tender age of 13, she was forced to work in a cinnamon field in Coimbatore alongside her family. Her hands, even now, bear the marks of thorns and bruises, a common sight among children in the Jawadhu hills. While some girls return to school after engaging in labour, others end up getting married at a young age.
It was in 2018 that the Illam Thedi Kalvi volunteers discovered Ananthi at her workplace and learned about her desire to continue her education, despite there being a four-year academic gap. These volunteers promptly conveyed her aspirations to the teachers at Peenjamandhai government school, who facilitated her re-entry into the educational system.
Ananthi’s region lacks internet connectivity and mobile phone towers, making her educational journey during the Covid-19 pandemic challenging. Despite these obstacles, she waded through and overcame numerous hurdles to complete her 10th grade.
Reflecting on her past as a child labourer, Ananthi expressed her desire to break free from that environment and pursue her education. She firmly believes despite her age and academic gap, she can continue her education.
Her teachers describe Ananthi as a friendly and mature student who is deeply committed to her education. Despite facing scepticism from younger classmates, she remains undeterred in her pursuit of knowledge. Despite her age, the government has recognised Ananthi’s potential and welcomed her to continue her studies at a government school. As she advances to the next level, she plans to combine mathematics with biology and nurture her ambition of becoming a nurse.