Name: Banumati Age: 14 years old Village: Nallikurichi Favorite’s: Movie star is Vijay and subject is Social Science Child labor: 1 year (10-11 years old) Joining age at KGBV : 11

Banu has 2 sisters (13 and 12) and one brother (18). Both her parents are daily wage laborers and work is sporadic. Banus’ parents earn on average $2 per day and struggle to feed and clothe their children. Banu has missed one year of school, where she worked as a daily laborer, and also helped out in the home. Banus’ elder brother woks in a restaurant in Madurai and does not earn a sufficient amount of money to support the family. 

Prior to her year away from school, Banu has also had infrequent education due to the proximity from the local school (9km away). Banu walked in the morning and returned by bus in the evening, resulting in a very tiring day for her. Both her sisters go to school, however her family still struggle to feed and clothe them.  

Banu has been able to catch up on her studies at KGBV School and her and her parents and are very happy. Banu would like to become a doctor.

Name: Boomadevi Age: 14 Village: Nallikurichi Favorite’s: Movie star is Vijay and subject is English Child labor- 2 months (10 years old) Joining age KGBV : 13

Booma has two sisters (12, and 8) and one brother (18) who works in garment factory. Boomas’ parents are daily wage farmers and work 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. Her parents earn $2 per day, and find it difficult to support the family. Her father has health problems and a significant expenditure goes towards supporting his condition.

Booma worked for two months when she was ten years old, working as a goat herder, and helping her mother with the housework, cooking and cleaning. Prior to this Booma attended school however her education was infrequent due to the distance required of her to walk to the local school. Booma walked 9km to school everyday, and returned by bus, finding this a very long tiring day.

Boomas’ parents are extremely happy that she is studying at KGBV school , as the school provides a safe environment for her, where she is fed, clothed and receives a full education. Neither parent has received any education, and would like her to study hard and get a good government job.

Name: Murugeswari Age: 14 years old Village: Nallikurichi Favorite’s: Movie star is Vijay and subject is Social Science Child labor: 1 year working (11-12 years old).

Murugeswari has 1 sister (5 years old) and three brothers (11, 8 and 6 years old), all in school. Both her parents work in the fields planting rice and harvesting ground nut, earning just over $2 per day. The family has a very small loan with low interest from ODAM so that they could have an electricity connection and make a small improvement to their life.

Murugeswari has had infrequent education, due to the 9km walk to school which she found very tiring. Neither of her parents is educated, and can only use their thumb as a signature. Murugeswaris’ parents would like her to become a lawyer, however Murugeswari would like to join the Indian Police Service.

Name: G. Nageswari Age: 14 years old Village: Veeraalangulam Favorite’s: Movie star is Vijay and subject is Science Child labor: 3 months since 11 yrs old Joining age KGBV : 11.5 years old

Nageswari has one brother (19years old) and two sisters (17 and 12 years old). Her elder sister has recently become married and her younger sister remains in education. He elder sister has received no education.

Nageswari’s mother is the sole income provider for her family and has found it very difficult to support her family since her husband death when Nageswari was 10 years old.

Nageswaris mother works in a cotton mill, working 8 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nageswari brother works in a garment factory and has a very small income, contributing what he can to support the family. They have a small loan so that they could make small improvements to the family home.

G.Nageswaris’ mother is very happy that her daughter goes to KGBV school , and hopes for her to have a good education and become a teacher, as would G.Nageswari like the same.

Name: Sivagami Age: 15 years old Village: Minakulan Favorite’s: Movie star is Vijay and subject is Tamil Child labor: 2 years housework (11-13 years old). Joining age at KGBV : 13 years old

Sivagami has two brothers and two sisters (one studying at KGBV School ). Sivagamis’ father passed away 5 years ago due to severe stomach pains. Sivagamis’ elder brother is a night watchman at a local vegetable plantation and earns $1 per day, contributing what he can to the family.

 herefore Sivagamis’ mother is the principle income provider. Her job as a daily wage farmer only earns her $1 per day, and she struggles to support her family since her husband’s death.

Sivagamis’ father had some education until the age of 9. Sivagami will be the first member of her family to have a continuous education. Sivagami would like to be a computer engineer in the future.