Priceless

In India, a man who had faced the injustices money can bring, was unable to continue paying for college. Though he had gone through this hardship himself, he did not wish the same injustice of being deprived of an education to others. Capable enough to spread his knowledge, he believed in his abilities and the power of education enough to seek a purpose in serving the greater good.

Rajesh Kumar Sharma walked through the streets of New Delhi, India everyday to his day job and had noticed that a significant amount of children were using the bottom of a metro station as a playground. One where they could escape to after a long day of hard work alongside their parents.

–Yes, work. In India, child labor is not seen as taboo or inhuman because their contributions to their families’ total income usually allows for slightly better living conditions. Their exposure to impoverished conditions is so severe that, it is essential that all members of a family fit to work, do so–

After giving it some thought, Rajesh realized that under that bridge, there was opportunity. He envisioned himself explaining grammatical concepts, mathematics, and other relatable subjects to those children he had seen on a daily basis and any other willing to attend. The spot was adequate enough to bring intimacy between teacher and students because of its concealed location and privacy for lessons to take place, like a normal classroom would be.

Photo credit: Altaf Qadri

Rajesh, with a new found purpose, quit his job and realized he had a duty to these children. He believed that if these kids who were currently dealing underdevelopment, if not brought to the world of education, would continue a perpetual cycle of hardship for generations to come.

With a goal in mind, Rajesh set out on a risky journey to find the parents of the children he had come across as he passed by the underside of the metro rail, and ask for their permission to allow their children to attend his classes.

I consider it a risky task to set his heart out on accomplishing because the parents of these children would have had to make economic sacrifices for them to attend his free school rather than contribute to the family’s income.

Through much deliberation, the parents gave in to the idea of breaking their children free from the chains of adversity and allowed them to wake up the next day for school rather than work.

He gathered about 30 children from a near by community and began his free school.

Photo credits: Altaf Qadri

As children filled their minds with knowledge, their hearts began to fill with ambition. No longer were they fixed on the idea of following their parent’s footsteps because no longer was it the only thing they could envision themselves in. Now, with hard work, they could set out to be whatever their efforts led them to be.

Because of Rajesh’s ability to see opportunity rather than defeat in his situation, he was able to change the lives of others for the better propelling them in the right direction. In that group of 30 children, are millions of different possible outcomes for each, equipped with knowledge, they are able to broaden their horizons and make their visions reality.

They are the first of many generations to come to break free from the chains of poverty through the power of knowledge.

In places where poverty is overbearing, the priceless things in life are overlooked and deemed useless. Food, cloths, water, and medicine, are necessary to sustain life but all come at a cost. Education, however, is priceless and with strategic use of it can bring an abundance of those life sustaining necessities.

When Rajesh came across a barren land and filled it with vision, it was no longer barren, simply filled with possibilities curtailed by the project of his imagination. He did not see poverty as an end to his efforts, he saw it as a starting point.

Changing the perception of what educations means by allowing children the opportunity to experience it without their absence affecting the family’s income is our way of helping these children rise from adversity and break away from these cycle for good. However, we must take initiative in helping others.

1/3 of the world poorest populationlives in India. Today, it takes only $1.25 to sustain a family facing extreme poverty. 

This amount of money is only a quarter of what I have found in the cracks and crevices of this campus ground. 

With this amount of money families in India would be able to sustain themselves enough for their children to discontinue working and allow for more kids to find out that they have limitless possibilities in their lives like the rest of us.

As we educate ourselves here at Penn State, lets make it our duty to provide others with the same opportunities to better their lives and affect the lives of others positively as did Rajesh. Education is a human right and should be accessible to everyone who wishes to unveil its potential. Lets rise together.