Educationg Children of
Poor Widows
Perceived as a curse rather than a misfortune, it is an unending cycle of deprivation and consequences that last for many decades. Faced with this reality the Loomba Foundation took it upon itself to fund the education of children of widows who were financially deprived. The mission was to transform lives not only of the window but their families as a whole.
According to the 2011 census, when India’s population was 121 crore there were as many as 5.6 crore widowed women completely outnumbering men. This gives a fair idea that by this time, that is 2023, the number must have dramatically increased given that India is fast approaching to be a country with the largest population in the world.
While in the urban areas, widows had some financial support, those coming from rural segments do not have any support system or any tangible means to take care of themselves or their children, leave alone educating them. Tradition and society do not encourage remarriage be it in rural or urban areas and in any case to find alife partner is not easy considering that widowhood is considered a stigma.
This leaves them at the mercy of others and closes almost all options. On the employment front, if rural women have very limited options, in the urban areas, they find it difficult to cope with presures of a job because of the blow Destiny has inflicte upon them.
Though there are laws created for the betterment of widows, these do not get the desired results. Apart from not being fairly represented, it takes years for them to get the justice they deserve. They also get a raw deal at the hands of their relatives who often deprive them of their due in case she inherits her husband’s assets. Half of the cases regarding inheritance or property disputes don’t even get registered because of the stigma that widowhood brings. Absence of financial support adversely affects the lives of their children and takes a toll on their education. In majority of cases, the kids are forced to take up menial and odd jobs to supplement the family income.
Perceived as a curse rather than a misfortune, it is an unending cycle of deprivation and consequences that last for many decades. Faced with this reality the Loomba Foundation took it upon itself to fund the education of children of widows who were financially deprived. The mission was to transform lives not only of the widows but their families as a whole.
It was in 1999 that the Loomba Foundation launched the Delhi State Programme funding 49 girls and 51 boys up to secondary graduation as also facilitate those who wanted to go for higher studies. The programme was inaugurated by the Foundation in India on 30th of March 1999 by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. This was but a baby step of an ambitious programme which was to target funding the education of at least 100 children from all over India. This is a need based programme irrespective of caste, creed, religion or gender.
This unbiased approach not only helped educate needy children but also gave them the confidence to face the world as also make them feel wanted.
