Manisha Dulera

Age: 14
Address: Parikshit Nagar Slum

“I think I’d like to be a Painter when I grow up... I’ve never tried it before but I think I would love it”, Manisha is really something special! She is a beautiful young lady who glows with maturity even at the young age of 14. She feels that she is too old for playing and instead helps her mother with work around the house, sometimes stopping to play for a short while with her little brother. Her mother works as a cleaner and her father is a ‘Choutuk’ (a handyman, when there is work available). Manisha treasures and loves her education and usually attends a local school, but gets pulled out when her family isn’t able to afford it. She is currently not attending any school and particularly values her time at Earn N Learn because of the extra tuition they offer; it is her favorite part of the day! She comes along less for the work and more for the learning, as she loves to keep herself challenged and learning and growing, even when school is not available to her. Her attitude towards learning is inspirational and she can’t wait to get back into school!!!

Manisha Ravat

Age: 12
Address: Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

When Manisha grows up she wants to be a Playback Singer! It is her biggest dream and she loves to sing with all her heart. She is happy and willing to sing us a song at any time we ask! She comes to Earn N’ Learn with her older brother, and is one of 4 children in her family. Her mother works for Gramshree and her father is a ‘Choutuk’ (a handyman, when there is work available). She goes to school in the Gandhi Ashram and her favorite subject is “Ssamaj”, which is a value-based subject that teaches Ghandian Principles and how to live a good life. She goes home to help her mom around the house by washing dishes and making dough, she also cooks Kitchadi sometimes. For fun she likes to play “Slaps” with her friends, a game where they hit each other over the back of the head... She assures me that no one gets hurt!!

Mehul Chauhan

Age: 11
Address: Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

Mehul is the youngest member of the Chauhan family involved in the Earn N’ Learn project, he comes along with his older brother and sister. Mehul treasures his time with the other Earn N Learn children and says that it is his favorite part of the day. He has 3 sisters and only 1 older brother, and they live together with their parents in the local slum. His mother is a cook for the cities local Bal mundir (preschool) and his father is unexplainably unemployed. At his young age he has bundles of energy all going towards playing games, and he loves to play Tip and Cricket with his friends. He considers himself to be quite a good batsman and spends hours playing Cricket in the grounds of the Gandhi Ashram. He attends a local Municipal School and also attends tuition classes offered by Earn N’ Learn to make the most of every education opportunity.

Mitesh Makwana

Age: 12
Address: Ranip slum

Mitesh is a very friendly boy who loves making new friends. His father works in security and his mother is a house wife, however throughout the week Mitesh and his brother live with their Grandmother. They stay with her because she lives very close to their School. Going to school is Mitesh’s favorite part of the day! On his father’s income alone the family has struggled to send the 2 brothers to school, but with the help of Earn N’ Learn Mitesh and his brother are both very happily enjoying their education. He loves to play Cricket and Marbles with his friends, and can often be found practicing and developing his skills in both these activities. Mitesh hasn’t really thought about what he wants to do when he grows up, but like most of the kids here, when asked, he responds with “... Maybe a doctor... I don’t know.” If only choosing a career path was as simple as that :)

Naresh Parmar

Age: 11
Address: Ram Pir No Teckro

Naresh is a softly spoken boy with a gentle, kind nature. He is very friendly and always has a big smile on his face. He lives in a small slum dwelling with his older brother, Rahul, and his Mother and Father. His father is unemployed, and it is his mother who bares the financial responsibility of their family. She works as a cleaner in a nearby home and is often very busy with work. This leaves Naresh and his brother to help out a lot around the house, which they don’t mind doing at all. They enjoy having the chance to help out. Naresh comes to Earn N’ Learn with his brother, and it is his favorite part of the day. He finds it peaceful at Manav Sadhna, and enjoys being able to work and do tuition without being disturbed. He attends a local Municipal School and focuses hard on his studies. For fun he likes to play Cricket with his friends, and otherwise, really enjoys watching Tom and Jerry Cartoons on the television.

Nayan Rathod

Age: 18
Address: Old Vadaj Slum

Nayan has been a part of Earn N’ Learn for 3 years and loves the time that he gets to spend here! Not only does he come here for work and tuition, but also to enjoy with his friends. It’s his favorite place to be and the best part of his whole day! Because of the support provided by Earn N’ learn he attends a School in the Gandhi Ashram where he studies very hard. His dad works as an Electrician and he is the oldest of 6 children in his family. Nayan used to work on the roadside selling Balloon’s to passer by’s.He wasn’t attending School because his family couldn’t afford it, until one day Jagat saw him by the road and invited him to come and visit Earn N’ Learn. Since that day things have only looked up for Nayan and he really appreciates the opportunities that he has before him. He says that he doesn’t really “play” games or anything, because he more likes to just hang-out relaxing with his friends. His ambitions for the future are direct and simple, just to “get a decent job”, he says.

Nikul Bijalbhai

Age: 14

Address: Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

Nikul is a very friendly boy who likes to observe others, although he is a little shy. He has two elder brothers and a younger sister. Being part of Earn N Learn ensures that he gets to go to school and these hours he spends at school are his favorite part of the day! His Mother Picks paper from different places and then sells it to earn some money and his father fits window glasses. He enjoys the combination of work and studies. He studies in 9^th standard. He wants to become a cricketer when is grows up and his favorite player is Yuvraj Singh.

Nikul Parmar

Age: 14

Address: Vadaj, Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

Meet Nikul. He loves to draw and he loves to paint, mainly in his favorite colour, Yellow. His favorite part everyday is the time he spends at Earn N Learn. He loves to be creative in making the Cards and enjoys all of the tuition and games and especially the food that he gets to eat there. He sees it as a time where he gets to do everything, and enjoys being surrounded by his friends! Nikul’s mother works as a cook for local Preschool and his father works in Security for a local University, and together, with his older brother, they live in a local slum. He goes to a nearby school and although he is extremely grateful that he gets an education, he also looks forward to playing Cricket in the afternoons, like most boys. He hopes to be a Pilot when he is older because he has always wanted to fly

Nilam Chauhan

Age:15

Address: Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

Spending even a small amount of time with Nilam, it is immediately apparent that she is quite the ‘don’ of the Earn n Learn kids. She is naturally very inquisitive and always wants to know what is going on. She has 2 sisters and 2 brothers, and they live with their Parents in the local slum. Her Mother works as a cook for the local Bal mandir (preschool) around the city and her father is unexplainably unemployed, this leaves their family in quite a financial crunch and this is why Nilam and her 2 brothers are part of the Earn N’ Learn Program. This helps to provide for their family and enables the children to attend school, which is Nilam’s favorite part of the day. She enjoys her studies and values the opportunity that she gets to attend school. She likes to have fun playing Raquette Ball and Tip with her friends. Nilam’s bossy qualities are actually a charm in her personality and she is always entertaining to be around.

Nitesh Gautam

Age: 17

Address: Old Vadaj

Piyush has just completed his 10th standard exams. He loves going to school, even though he has to walk half an hour to get there each morning. His favorite part of the day is the time he spends playing cricket with his friends every evening. He tells me that they try to play for only an hour before heading home, but usually the time gets away from them and they end up playing for hours, some days even missing dinner as they get home so late! Piyush’s father works as a ‘Choutuk’ (a handyman, when there is work available) which provides only a small and unreliable income for their family, which is why Piyush loves coming to Earn N’ Learn to help support his family. Before being part of Earn N’ Learn he would aimlessly waste time hanging around in the streets with his friends, but now he is happy to be productive and studying; and his parents are very happy for the changes it has made in his life.

Piyush Parmar

Age: 17

Address: Old Vadaj

Piyush has just completed his 10th standard exams. He loves going to school, even though he has to walk half an hour to get there each morning. His favorite part of the day is the time he spends playing cricket with his friends every evening. He tells me that they try to play for only an hour before heading home, but usually the time gets away from them and they end up playing for hours, some days even missing dinner as they get home so late! Piyush’s father works as a ‘Choutuk’ (a handyman, when there is work available) which provides only a small and unreliable income for their family, which is why Piyush loves coming to Earn N’ Learn to help support his family. Before being part of Earn N’ Learn he would aimlessly waste time hanging around in the streets with his friends, but now he is happy to be productive and studying; and his parents are very happy for the changes it has made in his life.

Poonam Moria

Age: 11

Address: Dandipur Slum

Poonam is such a beautiful girl, with a perfect smile, constantly glowing even as she expresses her frustration in not being able to do her hair in the mornings (because her hair is so long and her arms are so short). She lives in a small slum dwelling with her older brother and Parents. Her Mother spends her days at home, cooking, cleaning and preparing for her family, whilst her Father works in Carpentry, making furniture. Her older brother used to come to Earn N’ Learn, but he has moved on and she is so happy that she finally gets to come! She has only been coming along for a short time. She loves it so far and says that all the other kids are really kind to her. Poonam doesn’t like to watch t.v. with the other kids but much prefers to dance, play Marbles and throw balls around with her friends. She particularly likes the Rainy Season when she still gets to play these games and having a bath at the same time! Her favorite part of the day is when she is studying at home and gets to help her mom with housework. She wants to be a Teacher when she is older.

Poonam Varmar

Age: 10

Address: Dandipour Slum

Poonam has a serious little face and talks to us with great care, almost as if making sure to say the correct things. She is very clever and studies in the 5^th standard at a local Municipal School. At school she enjoys reading and meeting her friends, and it is her favorite part of the day. Poonam has a younger brother and an older sister, and they live in a small slum dwelling with their Mother and Father. Her Father is employed in Iron-Construction and his income alone is not enough to send Poonam and her siblings to school. This is why all 3 of them are involved in the Earn N Learn Project. Poonam is grateful for her time at Earn N Learn and loves to learn the many creative skills that she picks up there. She is not sure what she wants to do when she is grown up, and even though her parents tell her to become a Doctor, she is determined to work this one out for herself.

Prakash Parmar

Age: 13

Address: Old Vadaj Slum

Prakash is part of the Earn N’ Learn program and is very grateful for the opportunities it has given him. He appreciates the skills he has learnt from Earn N’ Learn and immensely enjoys creating the hand-made cards. He loves attending school and studies very hard. His father works in a flour-mill and he is one of four children in his family. He loves to watch movies, especially films by Amitabh Bachan. But one of his favorite things in the world is Food, any kind of food. We asked him what his favorites were and he went on to give us a list so long ,that it would have been far too much to even begin recording!! He says that his favorite part of the day is any time that he gets to eat. He’s a clever boy and knows how to make others laugh. He’s not sure what he sees himself doing when he is older, but thinks that maybe he could be a Doctor or an Engineer.

Rahul Parmar

Age: 14

Address: Ram Pir No Teckro

Meet Rahul, he is an extremely caring and helpful boy, with 1 younger brother. They live in a small slum dwelling with their unemployed father and their hard-working mother, who works as a cleaner in a nearby home. Their mother is so busy working most days that Rahul has to help out a lot around the house. He likes to do anything he can to help, washing the dishes, peeling garlic, and other small chores. Because of their family’s financial situation, both Rahul and his brother are a part of Earn N’ Learn, where they come each day to help to support their family. Rahul really enjoys making cards, and especially because he gets to do this with his friends around. He now attends a local Municipal School and is studying hard to do his best. His favorite part of the day is when he gets to watch cartoons on the television and to play Cricket with his friends.

Raju Desai

Age: 15

Address: Dandipur Slum

Raju has such welcoming features; he is a very quiet boy and manages to be your friend without saying too much at all. He is 1 of three children, with an older brother and a younger sister and his family live in a small slum dwelling. His mother spends her days at home, cleaning and preparing food for her family, and his father is an Auto Rickshaw Driver. Raju helps his parents by milking the cow’s everyday. Both his parents are happy that he is part of Earn N’ Learn and entirely support his involvement in the program.He attends a local High School and focuses determinedly on his studies, his favorite subject this past year has been English. He loves to play Cricket, enjoys watching T.V. and loves to see new movies. When he gets older he would like to be a Mechanical Engineer.

Rohini Vishwakarma

Age: 11

Address: Dandipour, off Ashram Road.

Meet little Rohini, she is “cute as a button” and has a special gift for seeing the good in everything! She tells us that the best part of her day is… well, everything! The list is huge and contains many different things, from helping with housework in the mornings to playing games with her friends in the afternoon. She lives in a small slum dwelling with her parents and 2 brothers. She really loves to help her mom around the home and is a very good assistant in the kitchen. Her father works in Carpentry and her mother does some work as a Clothing Tailor, both unable to create much of a solid income for their family. For this reason, Rohini and her brothers are all part of the Earn N’ Learn Program, where they get to help and support their family. Rohini is currently attending a local government school and is in the 5^th grade. She says that she wants to be a Doctor when she grows up, so she wants to do very well at school and spends a lot of time studying. For fun she sings but only a little bit and also likes to play chasing games with her friends.

Rohit Gautam

Age: 14

Address: Dandipour, off Ashram Road

Rohit lives in a small slum dwelling with his family, he has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. His mother works for Gramshree [an organization with close ties to Manav Sadhna] and his father is a Painter. Rohit comes to Earn N Learn with his sister Kajal and his brother Nitesh, and he is the eldest of these three. Before being part of the Earn N Lean program Rohit used to spend his days fruitlessly selling small toys and gimmicks off the roadside, and now, thanks to Earn N Learn, he is attending a local Government School where he relishes the time spent. He is a naturally clever child and School hours are his favorite time of the day. Aside from being clever, Rohit is a comic. Comedy is his favorite thing to do and he loves to make people laugh. He is an excellent entertainer, and nothing makes him smile more than cracking a good joke.

Sachin Chauhan

Age: 14

Address: Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

Sachin is a very friendly boy who, along with his two other siblings, attends the Earn N’ Learn project. Being part of Earn N’ Learn ensures that he gets to go to school and the hours he spends there is his favorite part of the day! After school he comes to Manav Sadhna where he gets to exercise his natural creative abilities in craft-making. And along with the many days he has spent doing craft he also utilizes his time sketching and painting. His Mother works as a cook for the local Bal mandir (Preschool) and his father is unemployed. He is a naturally talented child and belonging to the Manav Sadhna family gives him an opportunity to nurture his talents and make full use of them in the future. He has no idea of what he wants to do when he is an adult, but is talented in many areas of his life and is sure to succeed.

Sanjay Barot

Age: 17

Address: Parikshit Nagar Slum

Sanjay has such an easy nature, which makes spending time with him very enjoyable. He has a very inspirational attitude towards learning and, even though he doesn’t attend school, he is still working very hard at his studies. He attends Earn N’ Learn tuition classes and studies at home in his spare time. His favorite are his English classes, because he finds it to be so different from everything else that he is learning. He is studying in preparation to enter the 10^th standard. Sanjay lives in a local slum with his Mother and Brother. His single mother works as an office assistant, and her income alone has not been large enough to send Sanjay to school. This is why he is now involved in the Earn N Learn program and is very grateful for the opportunity he has been given to work towards his future. Sanjay loves to study, he says that it is his favorite thing, and this shows just how highly he values his education. When he is older he is hoping to go to University, though he is not yet sure what he wishes to study.

Sonal Ravat

Age: 10

Address: Parikshit Nagar

Sonal is a cute little girl. She is very soft spoken but enjoys talking to her friends. She really enjoys her time at Earn N' Learn because she gets to learn different crafts and has made many new friends.Sonal has one brother and a sister. Her father works at a petrol pump and her mother looks after the house. Sonal is loved by everyone around and likes to spread happiness around. She is in the 5^th grade at a local Government School and likes to go to school. She wants to be a police officer when she is older. Ask her why and she goes into a deep thought without any successful answer

Sweta Vijaya

Age: 11

Address: das ordi, near gandhi ashram.

Sweta is a sweet girl whose favorite thing in the world is to play and hang out with her friends. She thinks that it is the best thing in the world. And she really enjoys her time at Earn N’ Learn because it combines learning and working with ‘having fun with her friends’, all at the same time! Sweta has an older brother and a younger sister, and together, with their parents, they live in a small slum dwelling. Her father is a Furniture Carpenter and her mother is a Cook for the local Bal mundir (preschool) in the city. Sweta is a darling daughter and helps her mom out around the place by cleaning the floors and washing the dishes. She is in the 7^th grade at a local Government School and going to school is her favorite part of the day. Outside of school hours she likes to play Caram for fun and says that she wants to be a Computer Engineer when she is older.

Utsav Makwana

Age: 13

Address: Ranip Slum

The first time I visited Earn N' Learn, it was Utsav who patiently taught me how to make a gift bag, the best way to apply glue to the folds, and the most eye-pleasing way to finish the product. He has become a professional in the crafts and is extremely friendly and generous with everyone in his life. His father works in Security. With only one family member earning, Earn N’ Learn has allowed him to attend school and contribute to the family. School is Utsav’s favorite part of the day and he really values his education. He is a naturally clever child and has often helped me translate to the rest of the children, even though he knows only little English himself. He loves to play Cricket on Sundays with all the kids in the neighborhood and has recently taken up Marbles as a favorite pass time. His future is so bright and it is thanks to Earn N Learn that he has had a chance to realize this for himself :)

Varsha Marini

Age: 12

Address: Parikshit Nagar Slum

Meet Varsha. She has a beautiful smile and an even more beautiful nature. She is new to Earn N’ Learn and loves making all the wonderful things that enable her to express her creativity and skills. No where else would she be able to learn how to make such lovely things. She has a younger brother and an older sister and they live with their mother and father in a small slum dwelling near the Gandhi Ashram. Her mother creates and sells her own handy-crafts, and her father works in Carpentry. Varsha attends the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram School and is in the 7^th standard. She enjoys dancing and likes to help out around the home by washing dishes. Her favorite part of the day is whenever she gets to sit down with her family and share a meal. She loves to spend time with her family and also loves to play games. She says that she will play whatever her friends are playing.

Vijay Bhatiya

Age: 15

Address: Old Vadaj Slum

Vijay is a very loving and welcoming boy. He has 1 younger brother and 2 older sisters and he is the only child of his family that is part of the Earn N’ Learn project, where he has been for 5 years. His mother works for Gramshree, which is another organization that is closely related Manav Sadhna, and his father is a Truck Driver who rents a pedal-rickshaw to make deliveries when there is no available work in driving. His involvement at Earn N’ Learn is a great support for his family and also allows him the freedom to attend school everyday! His favorite subjects are Math and Science, but he loves to play around as well! He likes to play cricket and frisbee and enjoys joking around with his friends. Vijay wants to be a Computer Engineer when he grows older.

Vishal Shreemali

Age: 15

Address: Ram Pir No Teckro, Slum

Meet Vishal. He is in his senior years of high school and studies so hard that he is always more than ready to enjoy vacation, even when the next vacation is months away. He likes going to school very much and highly values his education, enjoying the chance he has to learn. He also loves his time at Manav Sadhna and has been coming to Earn N' Learn for 4 years now! Vishal is one of 3 children in his family, having 2 younger brothers whom he looks out for daily. His Mother works as a Tailor and his Father works in a General Store.Vishal likes to watch cartoons, particularly Tom and Jerry, but his favorite pass-time is to Play Fight with his friends, and he promises me that no one gets hurt. He loves to spend time with his friends and wants to be a Police Officer when he gets older; to stand up for what is right.