A Tenacity to Learn

Deepa* reviewed the lined paper in front of her carefully. It was the second draft of a letter to her sponsor, and the first one she had written in English on her own. Deepa, along with her brother, Tanay* are two children in the Strong Families Program in India  who have shown great growth and promise in their language skills, even with their disrupted learning this last year.

Back2Back India’s Strong Family Program officially launched in January of 2019. Families who live near partnering feeding center, Christ for All, are receiving healthier food options for their homes, tutoring, and parenting classes. They also receive spiritual care through weekly prayer walks and deepening relationship with staff who serve them.

“Deepa and Tanay have their parents’ full support as they pursue bigger educational opportunities,” shared Sampath Burla, Back2Back staff. “When learning went virtual, the family asked for assistance in purchasing a phone, so their children wouldn’t miss any lessons.” The parents and children are very intentional about reaching out to Sampath when something is unclear about their school assignments. 

The result of this tenacity and attention to detail is showing up in their academic growth. Deepa and Tanay both display an interest in learning as much Telugu and English as possible. This zest for languages has paid off for students like Deepa, as she is now doing her best to write her sponsor letter in English with the help of tutors. Deepa and Tanay, along with others in the program, are encouraging each other, as well as their parents, to take on new learning strategies and tackle difficult lessons.

Sponsorship, prayer, and advocacy make small triumphs possible, and staff anticipate many new ways each student will grow in the coming months. The community center has recently reopened after being closed to keep families and staff safe. The children attend language classes in rotations of ten students at a time, and they also receive a small snack during their lessons. Your investments and dedication allow accomplishments such as these and provide care for today and hope for tomorrow.