Shyla’s Story
by Robin Munro, Senior Writer
Holt International Children’s Services
Shyla on the job at VCT.
Shyla grew up in the 1980s and ‘90s in Bangalore, India—the daughter of a hard-working single mom and a father who claimed no responsibility for his child. Shyla’s mother was strong-willed, at times working two jobs to support her daughter. On her modest salary as a housemaid, however, she struggled to make ends meet. Out of necessity, she raised Shyla in her parents’ home, and later her sister’s.
As an unwed mother, however, she received little support beyond the basic from her family.
“Shyla recalls negative remarks her mother had to endure from family members,” says Mary Paul, director of Vathsalya Charitable Trust (VCT), a child services organization in Bangalore and partner of Eugene-based Holt International.
The stigma of unwed motherhood affects many women and children in India. Denied the support of their families, many single mothers lack the resources to care for their children. With few alternatives, some relinquish their children to organizations like VCT, which provides shelter and care for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in three districts of the state. Today, over half the children in VCT care were relinquished by single mothers.
When Shyla’s mother approached VCT for help, however, she had no intention of relinquishing her only daughter. Instead, she asked for help to support Shyla on her own.
“She devoted her life to the care of her daughter,” says Mary Paul. “She was keen to send her to school and approached VCT to support her.”
Although public education in India is free in most states, government-run schools are often overcrowded and underfunded. In lieu of tuition, schools charge families for books and uniforms as well as an additional fee—expenses exceeding what most low-income families can afford, including Shyla’s mother.
“Looking at her background and her fierce desire to educate her daughter, we decided to support her,” says Mary Paul.
VCT funded six years of schooling for Shyla. In 1998, she completed her secondary education.
VCT was established in 1988 as a full partner agency of Holt International, an international adoption and child services nonprofit agency based in Eugene, Oregon. Through their ongoing partnership, VCT and Holt continue to support the education of many underprivileged children in India. Holt finds “sponsors” in the U.S. to provide monthly contributions toward a sponsored child’s uniform, books, supplies and fees, while VCT independently manages the program in India.
The relationship between poverty and school attendance in India is, however, more complex than inability to pay fees. Children from impoverished communities often drop out early to support their families. To help families maintain stability while their children are in school, VCT provides additional support to the families of sponsored children. This support includes microloans for small businesses, helping families work toward self-reliance and lasting stability.
The majority of children VCT sponsors are also girls who would otherwise be engaged in domestic work.
“In the Indian culture, when you send a boy to school, you change his life and that continues to be so important,” says Mary Paul. “But when you send a girl to school, you can change an entire generation.”
Today, Shyla is 29 years old. Two years ago, she returned to the organization that gave her an education—this time, seeking employment. “Shyla was determined to work with children as she loves children,” says Mary Paul. Recognizing her determination and willingness to work hard, they hired her as an assistant teacher. Shyla teaches children living in the care center—children left orphaned, or abandoned by families unable to care for them. VCT staff members say they feel fortunate to have a teacher so loving and who also understands what the children have been through.
“Our children adore her,” says Mary Paul. “They look up to her as their role model.”
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