Working five hours in the hot temperate of a brick kiln, breaking up coals and carrying bricks: all this hard labour is not something you expect from an 11 year old, but Arjun’s life has been such. He is an orphan and lives with his aunt and uncle and four cousins. He has never been to school because he has to earn. He manages INR 160 -170 per day. He gives all the money he earns to his aunt and uncle to contribute towards the household bills including his cousin’s education. The family is living in extreme poverty. He wants to be able to go to school to be with children his own age. Doing his bit in this effort, he started going to the Bal Raksha Bharat’s funded centre and tries his best to go each day when he isn’t working at the kilns. Initially didn’t know how to read or write but now he is slowly learning. He hopes that once his reading and writing is up to the right standard, he can go to school.

Bal Raksha Bharat is helping Arjun to get education and we are also persuading his aunt and uncle to allow Arjun to attend school. As of now Arjun continues to visit Bal Raksha Bharat’s Education Centre where he will receive basic literacy and numeracy training. He is able to learn in a safe environment with other children his age, just like he wishes to.