When I asked Mamta if she attended school herself, she told me that she had to drop out in 9th grade to earn an income and help support her family. But Mamta is determined to finish high school and set an example for her children.
Every day her younger sister brings home books from the school library and gives them to Mamta. And after a full day of working at the Anchal office, cooking, cleaning and looking after her children, Mamta studies. She waits until her whole family is asleep and reads, makes notecards, and takes practice tests well into the night.
Mamta is preparing to take the exam for 10th class this summer, and said that she will continue until she passes the exam for 12th class. We are in awe of Mamta's hard work and inspired by her determination.
Mamta is motivated by her children, and she says that if she graduates from 12th class she will be able to tell them, “See I did it. Now you can do it. Anything is possible.”
Mamta’s children – both under the age of 4 years old- may never know or understand the sacrifices that she makes for them, but they will undoubtedly be better people because of it.
-Tess