CHENNAI: Three years ago, a teenage girl was found wandering on the Marina beach after escaping years of sexual assault at home. On Monday, she celebrated a quiet victory -- passing the Class 12 boards with 274 marks. “I know 45% is not extraordinary, but considering everything I’ve been through, passing the exam was enough for me,” the 18-year-old said.
Denied education and subjected to sexual assault by a close relative, the student was rescued by police and brought to Karunalaya, a shelter home in Chennai. Since then, she has slowly rebuilt her life with the help of counselling, art, and music. “I want to become an artist and express myself through my paintings and music.”
Karunalaya founder N Paul Sunder Singh said the student was emotionally withdrawn when she first arrived at the centre. “With regular therapy and support, she has come a long way. For us, she is an achiever,” he said.
The 18-year-old is one of seven students from the shelter home who passed the Class 12 exams this year, many scoring between 45% and 55%. Most of them come from families of pavement dwellers or have experienced severe neglect.