Those Radiant Eyes
I could see through those radiant eyes, the glee that was
bursting through them. They were the little windows which allowed me to peek
into the happy souls, emissions from inside took no time to brighten the outer
world we all were in. Yes, it was
Students’ Week at The Citizens Foundation School, Qayyumabad!
Being in school for most students at TCF is hard earned.
They defy dearth, dread and darkness of their dungeons everyday to make it to a
building which means a world to them. TCF
School more than anything is hope and a promise of better future ahead! It
unchains their limiting beliefs and allows them to dream. If you ask any of the TCF students what they
want to do in life, you are sure to have ambitious answers and it is TCF that
gives them the strength to say so.
The chirp was louder this day, students were excited, energies
were bouncing, rolling, fluttering and whooshing all around. Teachers were busy
with their last minute settings, ensuring everything is in place whereas participants
had nervy smiles on their faces as got ready to ascend on the podium to face the
world.
It was debate competition between students of different house
teams. As the contestants started stepping up leaving their premonitions behind,
the confidence they trotted out took me over. Coming from communities where
correct Urdu is hardly spoken let alone English, some of them did struggle with
appropriate pronunciations of some Urdu and English words, fumbled in their speeches,
fiddled with cue sheets, paused at wrong places which weakened the meaning,
dropped and raised voices at inappropriate points, yet they did not fail for me.
As I saw and heard them one after another my belief in them strengthen,
it made me love and respect them all the more. I realize that it’s not easy
fighting despondency everyday and that too at such a tender. Childhood is freewheeling,
time of life when worries don’t haunt you; your parents set the game for you to
step in and begin your effortless journey of learning, exploration and enlightenment.
But for TCF students this journey of education is not a cherry pie, they live
in two contrasting worlds, one which is clutched in poverty and anguish and the
other one is their TCF School which has everything to offer from quality
education to smiles of hope, ambitious dreams and trust in the Creator and
belief in oneself.
TCF students defeat the confinements of their present everyday to step further for an assuring future that waits for them ahead!
