Laxmi’s Story
One of the first students to start and graduate at VILC, Laximi started at the age of 12. Originally from South of India, her parents worked on the foundation campus while both Laximi and her sister attended VILC and learned English.
Laxmi graduated with flying colors and made our school proud. The following summer, Laxmi visited her village and then returned to our campus with a sudden news of her marriage.
The staff hoped Laxmi would go to college and continue her education and were a bit disheartened by the news. As a mother says goodbye to her daughter when the daughter weds into a family, so too we thought we would lose that connection with Laxmi as she embarked on her new life as a married woman.
However, the following summer when Laxmi came to visit the school, she’s welcomed with hugs and laughs! She humbly approached the founder, Mamaji, with a unique request.
“Do you think you can donate some books to me?” Laxmi asked.
Mamaji responded, “Sure, but what kind of books and for what purpose?”
“Well, I know a few kids in the village and they love listening to stories, just like I did as a child and you would teach us through stories. I would like to do the same in my village,” Laxmi explained.
Mamaji, teary-eyed at the request, felt proud of the impact Laxmi would have, just as each student would have in their own houses and their own communities, to make a difference in the world.
