Success Stories

It is a heartening sight to see children living in sub-human conditions somehow finding the means to arrive every morning with bright, shining faces, ready for the day's instruction. They participate enthusiastically, and there are hardly any dropouts.

Vandana, Pushpa, Deepak, and Dhanraj have topped their class and applied for a Government scholarship. Deepak Gangawane has won a prize in elocution. Vinita Sinha has won a prize for dance. Kiran won a prize for his school in a handwriting competition.

And most importantly, all of them and others have given up begging and pick pocketing, and now engage in productive activity. They take group and individual action for economic and emotional sustenance, and are now close to being true masters of their destinies.

Read about the successes of some of our students:
Kasturi Bhima Rathod
Age: 10 yrs
Present Status : Studying in Class 5 in Radhakrishnan Municipal School

Kasturi is the eldest daughter of Bhima and Rukmini Rathod, and has 4 younger brothers. Her parents are manual laborers, and are not assured work each day. They reside in the 'tabela' (stable) in Andheri (East), where living conditions are unhygienic and positively inhuman.

VOICE met Kasturi in 1995 at Andheri Railway Station, where she begged for alms. Kasturi soon became a part of VOICE's program at the railway station. She is a very bright child, keen to go to school. Dark-complexioned and attractive, Kasturi's confidence has grown significantly over the years.

Her parents expect her to do all the housework. Tiny as she is, she helps them in cooking, cleaning, filling of water, and even looks after her brothers. She loves them and looks after them well - this despite receiving very little affection from her father. A talkative person, she has many friends. However, she tends to boss over them at times, leading to fights.

It is tremendously heartening to see Kasturi's personal growth. From a little girl who begged at the station, she has matured into a confident girl, regular both in school and at VOICE. She values her schooling so much that she never wants to miss a day of school!

Santosh Waghmare
Age: 13 years
Present Status : Municipal school, Dadar (Class 5), and VOICE

Santosh Waghmare lives in a shack on the street outside Dadar Railway Station with his parents, a brother, a sister, an aunt, & grandmother.

Santosh is a smart, caring, respectful, & sensitive child. He wakes up each morning at 3:30 a.m. to sell flowers outside the station. After this, he goes to school. In the afternoon, he attends VOICE classes, where he receives help with his homework & studies in a caring & stimulating environment. He has been attending VOICE classes at Dadar station for the last 5 years.

Santosh's father is an alchoholic & his mother is physically very weak, so he is unable to get much love or emotional support from his parents. However, he does have a healthy relationship with his siblings. He gets along especially well with his brother Ramchandra, also a VOICE student, who was recently ranked 5th in his class.

In 1997, Santosh was unable to attend school or VOICE programs, because his family forced him to return to his native village for a year. However, since his return, he has excelled both at VOICE & at school, where he now ranks 3rd in his class.

Santosh is also a responsible saver. Over the past 3 years, he has been able to save over Rs. 9,000 (over US$ 200) in his VOICE bank account from his job selling flowers. We look forward to watching Santosh grow & blossom into the wonderful person we know he can become, if he is able to continue his education.

Sakhi Hanumanta Rathod
Age: 16 yrs
Present Status : working with VOICE

Sakhi Hanumanta Rathod lives at Gundowli Nagardas Road, Andheri, with her parents & 5 brothers. Sakhi is the eldest & only daughter. Her father Hanumanta & mother Devibai are construction site workers.

Sakhi has a rather daring personality. She is loving & kind, & is a leader in her community; always extending a helping hand to those in need.

Being the eldest, & a girl, Sakhi has the responsibility of taking care of the house & her younger brothers. She loves her brothers & is affectionate towards them. She is also the eldest among her friends & loves them dearly. Being an understanding girl herself, she can make others understand. As a natural leader, she has a hold over them. Most of the children from her community are with VOICE today because of her leadership.


Sakhi is an adolescent & has found a partner for herself. VOICE is currently educating her on family life. She needs support as she could be abused because of her relationship with her boyfriend. Her family is not at all happy with the match. In fact, there is tremendous pressure on her to get married. Her parents are coercing her to get married this year. However, Sakhi is not keen on marrying this early, & this has created a rift in the family.

Being a leader in the community, the children look to Sakhi for guidance. With this relationship, there have been problems. VOICE is trying to help her with the stress she has been undergoing.

Sakhi is an asset to the community. She is likely to get married this year, but is determined to continue working with VOICE. However, we have to wait & watch.

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