Siragugal- Giving wings to dreams!

Ganesh Anna

•February 19, 2023

With college admission time around the corner, it is a time for feverish activity for students. Think CUET, JEE, SAT, applying to Ivy League Universities and a lot more! With some students already having obtained conditional offers, all they are waiting for are good results in the board exams as a ticket to their future dreams. Yet contrast this reality with that of a sizeable number of students across rural India who score great marks in their board exams but are unable to join even a basic college for the lack of funds. It is to make a difference in the lives of these talented students who are resource starved, that Rukmani Trust partnered with Gold Heart Foundation, that works towards empowering underprivileged children, by enriching their lives through education, rehabilitation, sustainable livelihood skills and opportunities. Gold Heart Foundation’s signature project is aptly called “Siragugal” that means wings & that literally gives wings to the dreams of many deserving students across Tamil Nadu. Most of these students hail from rural backgrounds with parents who are daily wage earners while some of them also come from single parent homes. The Siragugal scholarship program renders financial, academic as well as placement support to meritorious students who are chosen after a rigorous selection process that comprises of meeting a certain cut-off percentage, followed by qualifying tests including psychometric analysis and a face-to-face interview that among other things ascertains the student’s motivation levels as well as desire to give back to society. Right from helping streamline the selection process to sponsoring higher education for deserving students, it has been a most gratifying journey for us at Rukmani Trust. Stopping not just with funding their education, we also offer online job skill training through Gurukulam, which is supported by enthusiastic volunteers who are subject matter experts across industries. While mentoring them through a series of workshops, it was soul stirring to hear of their journeys. The powerful story of a girl student, Abirami, who was discouraged by just about every person in her family & her village to give up on her college dream and the sheer will power that brought her to the doorstep of Gold Heart Foundation, will remain in our collective memories for times to come. Her question to us, “ I have seen so much failure in life. Do you think I can taste success, ever?” had many of us teary eyed and questioning the privileges that we take so much for granted. With storytelling being one of the greatest instruments of change, many of these students are now being encouraged to share their resilient stories with the world with an aim to inspire many other students to follow their lead. It is our hope that on hearing their powerful stories many others will be urged not to give up in the face of overwhelming odds. It is also our hope, dear readers, that many of you will feel inspired to share a slice of your good fortune with these children who have tremendous ability and a burning desire to overturn their family circumstances. The only thing that stands between them and their dreams at this time is their college fee. Could you be the one who will help join the dots and connect them to their destiny?

Goldheart Foundation is one of the NGOs supported by Rukmani Trust, which provides financial aid to underprivileged individuals in India. To learn more about our other beneficiaries and our work across the country, please visit www.rukmanitrust.org.

Ganesh Anna

Ganesh Anna is a software engineer by training and an educational activist by passion. He has been passionately volunteering to educate deserving students for over 8 years.

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