This post is part 2 of a 5 part series, in which BRAC volunteer Nilopar Uddin tells the stories of three of this year’s BRAC Scholarship program students. Each student, with BRAC’s support, has succeeded in securing a place at India’s top Rajastan University and is preparing to embark on an exciting and ultimately life-changing journey, led by the power of education.
Sukla Sarkar from Shailakupa in the Janaida district of Bangladesh, is an 18-year-old cricket fanatic. She lives with her parents, grandmother, uncle and younger brother in a small, dimly lit house located off a busy town road. Sukla is preparing to leave her home for Rajastan, India where she will pursue a bachelor degree in business administration. She wants to be a Banker.
In addition to cricket, Sukla is extremely passionate about the English language and in fact insisted on speaking English during our meeting. She giggled about how her fellow students called her “Dictionary” because she had devoured the Bengali to English Dictionary and has mastered an extensive library of words and phrases. She is in fact so enamored with the language that she has decided to only listen to the cricket commentary in English and often speaks to her family in English, even though they don’t understand. She claims that this has helped her learn to speak and pronounce English words more clearly and fluently. When she is not studying, Sukla helps her mother and grandmother with the housework.
When I asked her about going to University in a different country, she remained silent for a moment, a silence that was conspicuous in a girl so full of chatter and optimism. “I hope to make friends with other students who are English-speaking like yourself”, she responds with a smile. Although she describes herself as a “poor girl from a very poor country”, Shukla does not seem too concerned by the new and challenging experience that lies ahead. She knows she will be fine and she will embrace the opportunity by focusing on her studies.
Sukla’s family is very supportive of her, as well as extremely proud of her achievements. Her little brother aspires to follow in her footsteps and ultimately become a doctor. He is well on his way as he has already been selected to receive a local scholarship. Sukla’s parents and grandmother also expressed the enjoyment they get from Sukla’s success. Her grandmother reminisced that when her son, Sukla’s father, was young he also had a great desire to study and improve his living conditions, but his dreams failed to materialize due to the families financial limitations. She pointed at Sukla and observed that she was happy that her son's child was now living his dreams.
After speaking to Sukla’s mother, it was easy to see where her daughter had inherited the limitless reserves of positive energy and enthusiasm. Her mother was tearful, as she narrated her own story: her father’s death when she was a child resulted in her lack of an education because she was married off at the age of 13. She is extremely happy that Sukla is able, through the help of BRAC, to have such a good education. When asked what she would like Sukla to do in the future, Sukla’s mother replied without hesitation that she would like Sukla to help the poor and needy.
Sukla’s father, when asked if he was proud of his daughter, nodded and smiled slightly. The contrast between father and daughter was immense; he was quiet and she was outgoing and cheerful - but the pride and affection between them was strong. Through her, he was able to see his own youthful dreams materialize and undoubtedly his dreams as a father were coming true.
In addition to cricket, Sukla is extremely passionate about the English language and in fact insisted on speaking English during our meeting. She giggled about how her fellow students called her “Dictionary” because she had devoured the Bengali to English Dictionary and has mastered an extensive library of words and phrases. She is in fact so enamored with the language that she has decided to only listen to the cricket commentary in English and often speaks to her family in English, even though they don’t understand. She claims that this has helped her learn to speak and pronounce English words more clearly and fluently. When she is not studying, Sukla helps her mother and grandmother with the housework.
When I asked her about going to University in a different country, she remained silent for a moment, a silence that was conspicuous in a girl so full of chatter and optimism. “I hope to make friends with other students who are English-speaking like yourself”, she responds with a smile. Although she describes herself as a “poor girl from a very poor country”, Shukla does not seem too concerned by the new and challenging experience that lies ahead. She knows she will be fine and she will embrace the opportunity by focusing on her studies.
Sukla’s family is very supportive of her, as well as extremely proud of her achievements. Her little brother aspires to follow in her footsteps and ultimately become a doctor. He is well on his way as he has already been selected to receive a local scholarship. Sukla’s parents and grandmother also expressed the enjoyment they get from Sukla’s success. Her grandmother reminisced that when her son, Sukla’s father, was young he also had a great desire to study and improve his living conditions, but his dreams failed to materialize due to the families financial limitations. She pointed at Sukla and observed that she was happy that her son's child was now living his dreams.
After speaking to Sukla’s mother, it was easy to see where her daughter had inherited the limitless reserves of positive energy and enthusiasm. Her mother was tearful, as she narrated her own story: her father’s death when she was a child resulted in her lack of an education because she was married off at the age of 13. She is extremely happy that Sukla is able, through the help of BRAC, to have such a good education. When asked what she would like Sukla to do in the future, Sukla’s mother replied without hesitation that she would like Sukla to help the poor and needy.
Sukla’s father, when asked if he was proud of his daughter, nodded and smiled slightly. The contrast between father and daughter was immense; he was quiet and she was outgoing and cheerful - but the pride and affection between them was strong. Through her, he was able to see his own youthful dreams materialize and undoubtedly his dreams as a father were coming true.
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