By Payel Saha Podder | Project Manager
Ashfaque, an 18-year-old from a slum near Tala Park, faced extreme financial struggles as his father, a rickshaw puller, could barely support their family of seven. As the eldest of five siblings, he felt the weight of responsibility and decided to leave school before his Class 10 board exams to find work. However, the teachers at Calcutta Rescue’s Education Project refused to give up on him.
Since Ashfaque was four years old, Calcutta Rescue has supported him and his siblings with education, nutrition, and healthcare. Subhajit, head teacher of the Tala Park Education Project, encouraged Ashfaque to continue his studies, knowing his potential. With their support, Ashfaque not only completed his exams but also pursued the science stream, scoring 72% in his Class 12 boards.
Fueled by a love for learning, Ashfaque began preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination to become an engineer. His efforts were recognized when he received a scholarship from The Telegraph School Awards for his outstanding academic performance.
Ashfaque’s journey highlights the power of education and persistence. Reflecting on his teachers’ unwavering support, he says, “I couldn’t have done this without them.” His father, beaming with pride, shares, “Ashfaque’s success gives us hope.” Now, as Ashfaque prepares for the next step, he hopes his story inspires others, proving that hard work can overcome even the toughest challenges.
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
