As an infant, Bharti Kumari was abandoned at a railway station in Bihar, one of India’s poorest states. Now, at the age of 12, she has become the head teacher at a school in Kusumbhara, her adopted village. Every morning and evening, under the shade of a mango tree, she teaches Hindi, English and maths to 50 village children who would otherwise receive no education. In between, she attends a state school in Akhodhi Gola, a two-mile walk away. Dressed proudly in her school uniform, she passes on the knowledge gleaned from her lessons to the village children, aged between four and 10, in her own class. “I have a long day. My school is from 10am to 3pm and I study late,” she said. “This is what I love doing. I enjoy teaching children their ABCs as well as the Hindi alphabets.”
Kusumbhara is a poverty-stricken village 87 miles from Patna, the state capital. Most families are Dalits, India’s lowest social group, and they live in fear of Maoist insurgents waging a terror campaign against the security forces. In the past four months 30 schools and community buildings have been blown up by the rebels. “How will we get educated if we’re scared?” asked Bharti, appealing to the government to build a proper school in the village. Her pupils are among the 10 million Indian children who are outside the state education system because their parents are so poor that they need them to work or no schools are nearby. Earlier this month the Indian government pledged £3.6 billion for a “right to education” scheme which aims to provide free schooling for all.
Bharti’s adoptive father, Rampati, an impoverished farmhand, said he would not follow the rural tradition of pushing girls into early marriages but would allow her to continue her studies. Her future career has already been decided. “I definitely want to become a teacher when I grow up,” she said.
Should not we, leading far more comfortable lives, be doing much more for others?
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April 20, 2010 at 2:45 pm
kel
this is so touching so awesome. wow if this little girl can do what is stopping us to spread love. This is so again awesome I am inspired by this little girl.
I don’t really want to be a teacher but just reading this article would really change my mind. Thanks Miss Kumari for your inspiration. We in America hear your voice.
April 20, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Ratan Chawla
I would like to help Bharati by sending her books, pencils,books for colouring etc to teach the other children. She is an amazing child to do hat she is doing by helping others. I would like to have an address where I can send everything.
Kindly send me an email.
REgards
Ratan Chawla
April 20, 2010 at 3:06 pm
jyothsnay
Kel
Thank you for writing in. I read Timesonline article on Bharti and was drawn by her initiative, drive to teach other children in the village. I am really touched by this little girl’s serious, admirable mission, determination….would definitely meet her soon
what a spirited girl …felt, I should pitch in with my bit through spreading word about her….am sure there are many more Bharti Kumaris in those villages, which are stuck with poverty, insecure lives yet irrepressible determination to survive
Jyo
April 20, 2010 at 3:12 pm
jyothsnay
Ratan
Truly appreciate your intent. I am also trying to get in touch with her,
would love to meet her
you could write to Smith in Delhi who seemed to have penned the article. am giving the link below…I will also email this person to find more details about Bharti
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7100868.ece
Rgds
Jyo
January 9, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Catherine Boyle
Greetings to all,
Like all of you, I was deeply moved and impressed by the article that appeared in the UK Sunday Times last April. In September 2010 I travelled to Bihar from Ireland (at my own expense) in order to shoot a brief interview with Bharti and to film her “class.”
A blog post is too limited in space for me to detail everything that transpired during and since my visit, but in a nutshell: this situation is not quite as it is made out to be in the Sunday Times article and I would approach it with caution, in terms of sending money and/or other donations.
If you wish, I will gladly email you in greater detail with my findings.
The photos from my trip are here –>
January 11, 2011 at 1:35 pm
jyothsnay
Thank you Catherine Boyle for that word of caution & snapping the school, n Bharti
January 11, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Catherine Boyle
You’re welcome… although I am deeply saddened and dismayed by the fact that certain local individuals seem to view Bharti and her class as a sort of “cash cow”…
January 11, 2011 at 2:06 pm
jyothsnay
Hi Catherine
I never ever would doubt that little girl n her genuine big dream…but will definitely suspect dirty intention of exploiting this little girl by grown ups. this is not a new thing in India, where, unfortunately, we face corruption n exploitation at every step. Most of us tend to hesitate to extend our help, donations to the needy, the poorest of the society as they dont reach them, the funds/the donations are remorselelly, hungrily, consumed by corrupt system, people in power, greedy family members/relatives…but this should not deter us to extend our help to the needy..sure there does exist genuine body of NGOs, honest officials…
this is a painful truth about the developing young economy India….we have been living with this set of devils (corruption and exploitation of weak by rich) for years
January 11, 2011 at 2:59 pm
Catherine Boyle
Hello again,
My impressions of Bharti were mixed… On the one hand, her teacher at public school praised both her diligence and her scholastic ability, but on the other hand I definitely felt that Bharti was thoroughly fed up with being “paraded around” and made to “perform” for outsiders by the local reporters who are effectively “managing” her. They claim to have set up a “trust fund” so that well-wishers can contribute towards her education… but refuse to divulge the account number or even the name of the bank where the money is allegedly lodged.
This means that all donations are supposed to go through them… in cash… Whether or not any of the money ever trickles down to Bharti and her family is anyone’s guess.
When I thanked Bharti for allowing me to interview her and gave my donation directly to her older sister, her handlers were less than pleased.
I certainly agree with you that one should still try to find “right” ways of giving … ones in which the funds and/or items actually reach the intended recipients… but at times, as in this particular case, this can be extremely challenging.
Do you know of any NGO specializing in child welfare, children’s rights or something similar that would be willing to investigate this case? I’ve been trying to find one since I returned home from India in mid-September… but to no avail. I’ve also tried to get one or more Hindi-language publications interested in the story, but without success.
Your suggestions and input are more than welcome!
Best wishes,
Catherine