Rekha Rises to the Task of Teaching During COVID-19

Rekha Rises to the Task of Teaching During COVID-19

In the rural area where 24-year-old Rekha lives in the hilly Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India, most of the population works in agriculture, and only 50 percent of women are literate. Rekha’s mom, Dhapu, is part of the other 50 percent.

After Rekha’s father left her family, Dhapu raised her three children alone. She worked as a farmer during the harvest season and as a daily wage worker in the off season, but the family still struggled to make ends meet.

Sponsorship Supports Rekha’s Education

But when Rekha was 6 years old, she got a sponsor – and support from ChildFund and our local partner, the Centre for Advanced Research & Development (CARD), helped her get her education. This was especially important because, according to Rekha, in her community educating girls is usually either looked down upon or not supported because of financial constraints. 

“I was determined to succeed in education despite all hurdles, because I saw my mother suffer due to illiteracy,” Rekha says. “While my family’s financial conditions were never stable, the educational support I received – like textbooks, stationary and other things – encouraged me to continue to strive toward excellence … My educational progress has been possible because of the support and motivation by CARD and ChildFund, who supported my education inside and outside the classroom.”

Now, Rekha is on her way to building a better life for herself and her family. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2019 (with an A average, no less!) and immediately started studying for her entrance exam for her Bachelor of Education. Then COVID-19 struck. 

Rekha (left) helps students wash their hands before participating in her free classes.

Teaching During COVID-19

Rekha’s community is particularly vulnerable to the risks of COVID-19 due to lack of awareness, a limited supply of clean water, low levels of nutrition and ill-equipped health centers and hospitals. When schools shut down, kids in her area had no way to get an education, so Rekha took it upon herself to make sure they could keep learning. 

“I have started conducting classes for 30 children from my village at my house,” Rekha says, “so that the children don’t miss out on education. We all follow COVID-related precautions.” In addition to teaching the regular academic subjects, she also teaches her students about COVID-19 prevention methods and overall hygiene — and she does all this for free. 

“I dream of extending the power of education to other children in my village,” Rekha says. It looks like she’s already starting to make that dream come true. 

The Generational Impact of Sponsorship

That’s the thing about sponsorship – it begins as a connection between one sponsor and one child, but the ripple effect that child can have on her community is incalculable. Think of the kids Rekha is teaching now, and the classrooms she will teach after she gets her teaching degree. Think of her children, and her students’ children. The generational impact of sponsorship is immeasurable, but we know it is immense. 

Need more reasons to sponsor a child in India, or are you ready to connect with a child in need today?