In an inspiring incident, Ashma Shaikh, living on the footpath at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan with her parents and brother has cleared her SSC exams (Secondary School Certificate).
‘It was difficult to study during the day due to the continuous honking and traffic, so I would prefer to study at night under the streetlight,’ an elated Ashma told Times of India.
The 17-year-old is a student of Hirjeebhoy Allahrakhia Laljeebhoy Sajan Girls High School in Dongri and braved all odds to secure 40 per cent in her exams.
Maharashtra: Asma Sheikh, a 17-year-old girl living on the pavement outside Azad Maidan in Mumbai has scored 40% in 10th board exams. She says,’My family supported my education. In the absence of basic amenities, they tried giving me whatever they could to help me pass my exams.’ pic.twitter.com/sC4oHmHiFT
— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2020
‘My family supported my education. In the absence of basic amenities, they tried giving me whatever they could to help me pass my exams,’ she said, reported ANI.
Her father who is a lime juice vendor works extremely hard to ensure that both his children, Ashma and her brother, get access to proper education and hence dignified life. The class X student helps her father with work during the day.
Ashma also stated that her father had worked hard and managed to enroll her for tuitions so she could concentrate on her studies. However, the family still owes Rs 6,000 in dues to the tutor as her father has been out of work due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
