Educate an Indian Child Experiencing Poverty

“My old neighborhood was not safe...there were too many challenges," says Zakeer H. "But my second home, Christel House, was always a safe home for me.” Zakeer shared a small one room house with his mother, father, grandmother, and older brother. While his dad worked hard to provide, income was irregular. “Growing up was quite hard,” he says. “Then Christel House happened.”

Zakeer enrolled at Christel House in 3rd grade. “We never had tables or chairs in my other school,” he remembers. Life at his new school motivated him. “I studied at Christel House,” he says. “I learned the importance of education.” From an early age, the Christel House College & Careers program guided Zakeer. “The mindset at Christel House is very different. You need to graduate. You need to make sure you are in a position to make a good living,“ he says. “You have to support your family at the right time.”

Graduating from Christel House in 2013, Zakeer went to college. Working a part-time job and with support from the College & Careers program, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He’s now a Project Manager for Byju’s, one of India’s biggest Ed-Tech Companies. “Without Christel House, I don’t think I would have come out to this level.”

He credits his College & Careers counselors for their help. “They are more than teachers - they are our friends, our guides.” His parents are proud of their son’s accomplishments. “Fortunately, I always had a family that backed me. They are very proud, very happy.” Zakeer has moved his family to a new, spacious apartment. “Providing room for my family, a separate room for my mom and dad, a kitchen they can use, a useable washroom, and continuous power - we never had that in the old house,” he says. “We’ve come so far. I really want to thank my second home, Christel House. They helped us achieve this!”