The education James Connection provides the children at Angels’ Place puts all of them, regardless of gender, at a significant advantage over those who don’t complete their studies. But the impact it has on girls is potentially life-changing. It often means the difference between a life of impoverished servitude and one of thriving independence.
Much of rural India, and even many urban communities, still operate under a long tradition of bias against girls. Most of our girls at Angels’ Place come from small villages where this mentality is firmly entrenched. Many found themselves so burdened by the demands of their home life that an education was a dream beyond reach. The brilliant future doctors, teachers, bank officers, entrepreneurs and scientists of the world were trapped in ramshackled huts cooking meals on open fire pits, lugging water, and caring for younger children. Even if their time allowed a few precious minutes of intellectual stimulation, the resources were just not available to them.
Then they came to Angels’ Place.
Thanks to the work we do at James Connection, girls are getting the opportunity to become vital, contributing members of their community. The education they receive not only cultivates their confidence to lead their own lives and follow their own dreams, but it also brings them new respect in their villages. Families and village elders are beginning to realize the value educated girls can offer their communities. Little by little, the mentality is shifting and they are seeing the fruits of a previously untapped resource. Organizations like James Connection offer an alternative to the old regime, opening up a new world of possibilities by empowering young girls through education.
Sawmi, a recent graduate of Angels’ Place, is a wonderful example of how life-changing an education can be. She is a role model for the younger girls at the orphanage and in her village. They see her, a thriving, independent, young women pursuing a masters degree and they think: “She did it. So can I.”. Read more about Sawmi's story here.
But in the end, it is our sponsors and donors who make it possible for these girls to feel such empowerment. Without the financial resources to keep them in school, their intellectual talent would be wasted. There are bigger problems than how to haul a heavy jug of water for these future stars of the world to solve. Thanks to their sponsors, they can!
If you want to learn more about how you can make a difference in the lives of young girls struggling to realize their dreams, check out our Ways to Help page.
