Giving wings to the dreams

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Satvinderjeet Kaur, 18, who lives in the slum areas of Govindpuri is busy with last minute shopping before she leaves for US mid-July. Her mother, Surjeet Kaur, who brought up Satvinderjeet single-handedly and works as housemaid, cannot stop her tears as her only child is going to pursue her studies in Information Technology in Wisconsin.
“I could have never imagined that I would step out of this city, let alone the country. And now when it is actually happening it seems like a dream to me. I am from a very modest background and hope to make the best out of this opportunity. I plan to explore all the possibilities that come my way, and learn everything that will help shape my future,” says Satvinderjeet. She and Ritu Kumari, who would be studying Early Childhood Education in the Bunker Community College, Boston, are among 37 students who have been selected through national competitive search to participate in the U.S. government-funded Community College Initiative Program.
Ritu’s father who was an alcoholic, passed away two years back. “After my father passed away, I have been supporting my family of five and had never even thought of getting a chance to study in US,” says Ritu who teaches at Deepalaya schools.
Ritu is pursuing Elementary Teacher Training while Satvinderjeet is doing her graduation from Delhi University. Both the students are from Deepalaya schools, which have sent 17 students to U.S. during last 4 years with the support of American Centre.
A.J. Philip, President, Deepalaya says, “It is a great feeling that children who once were not able to afford studying in a school are flying abroad to pursue their dreams.”
The program provides training in academic English, and selected fields such as technology, management, media, applied engineering, business, agriculture and hotel management.
Ritu says, “I have mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness as I am flying to Boston on July 12.” Today as both Satinderjeet and Ritu stands on the threshold of a new beginning, they say with a smile on their faces, “We hope to make our family, friends and teachers proud of us.”