I have two beautiful stories which I would like to share with you. The first is about a girl who lives on the streets of Calcutta and sells jewelry to make some money. What the money was for I shall tell you a little later. First of all take a look at her. I do not know her name but that does not matter. This is what she looked like when I first met her as I sat with my friend Duncan sipping away a cup of good old Indian tea called chai.
During my conversation with her I found she spoke very good English and was taken back at her grasp of the English language. During our conversation I pointed out to her that if she presented herself well she may be able to sell more goods and hence make more money. She asked how. I told her if she had a nice dress and did her hair it would make a difference. I offered to buy her a dress but she asked if I could give her the money she would shop for one.
I gave her Rs 500.00 in our currency about $12.50 She appeared the next day presenting herself with her new dress and her tray of goods. She was so proud of herself and was full of smiles. I asked her what she did with the money she earned, and her reply was that she paid her school fees. I asked her what school she attended and her reply was Loretta Convent. I was completely blown away, then she quite calmly said to me, I am also learning French and spoke a few words in French to me. I asked her to take me to her family and found them living under the stairs of the New Market. Her mother was there, her Aunty and Uncle and two babies. It suddenly dawned on me that this street girl wanted to better herself in life and one day have a place to live she could call her own. All that I could do at the moment was to help the family with some money to last them a few months for food and helped this girl with her school fees. The children of the Western world should take a leaf out of this girls book, weather it be written in English or French and know the value of having an education.
