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!