Isha* opened his school journal to write down the day’s assignments. He finished, closed the book, and smiled to himself. It was almost time for his English class, and he couldn’t wait to dive into the next lesson.
Isha is one of four children who live in the city and attend the community center run by Back2Back. At 11-years old, he recently made the transition from a Telugu-medium school (instruction is completely in Telugu and no English is taught) to an English-medium school (instruction is in English). Many of his peers struggle with this progression, but Isha is blossoming.
“Isha takes his learning very seriously,” shared Sampath Burla, Back2Back staff. “The switch from one school to another and the new environment has helped him immensely, and we are truly seeing a difference in him. He is always excited to share about new lessons and demonstrate how well he understands them. We are very pleased with his growth.”
Isha’s family has lived in the city for all of his life, his parents are day laborers, and together they are taking steps to break generational cycles to create a more hopeful tomorrow for each member of the family. Isha’s mom and dad both attend parenting classes, faithful to come alongside their children in their growth, and Isha’s oldest sister is a student in the Hope Education Program. Staff are eager to see Isha and each of his siblings flourish in and out of the classroom, a true testament to the transformation that can occur when children are safe within their own family units and parents know they have the freedom to ask for assistance and guidance when they need it.
This is the power of united family units – children find their passions, parents learn of their own capabilities, and suddenly, the future is no longer full of questions, but of promise.