The children in our after-school program come from low-caste, agricultural villages. One day a group of children excitedly approached us and explained they had a NEED which they were hoping we could help with. They NEEDED to go on a field trip to see what life was like outside their villages. There were pictures in their school books, they explained, of big buildings and cars and even airplanes. They wanted to know if the pictures were real! That is how our field trips began.
In September, children from 5 different villages took a train ride, visited dams, stopped at a small airport where they were able to see planes take off, and visited an amusement park. They experienced overly-friendly monkeys (that snatched snacks right out of unsuspecting hands to great laughter) and viewed fishermen fishing from the dam bridge with long nets. It was an exciting experience to mingle and play with so many children who came from other parts of Tamil Nadu. It was a thrilling day for the children!
Sometimes a brighter future is blocked simply by the lack of a dream – something to shoot for and work for. Field trips open minds and give children a vision of what life could be like with an education. They are one of the most powerful things we can do for an impoverished child, and we are grateful for the brave, passionate group of children that got these started!
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