Rekha Rises to the Task of Teaching During COVID-19
In the rural area where 24-year-old Rekha lives in the hilly Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India, most of the population
works in agriculture, and only 50 percent of women are literate. Rekha’s mom, Dhapu, is part of the other 50
percent.
After Rekha’s father left her family, Dhapu raised her three children alone. She worked as a farmer during
the harvest season and as a daily wage worker in the off season, but the family still struggled to make ends
meet.
Sponsorship Supports Rekha’s Education
But when Rekha was 6 years old, she got a sponsor – and support from ChildFund and our local
partner, the Centre for Advanced Research & Development (CARD), helped her get her education.
This was especially important because, according to Rekha, in her community educating girls is usually
either looked down upon or not supported because of financial constraints.
“I was determined to succeed in education despite all hurdles, because I saw my mother suffer due to
illiteracy,” Rekha says. “While my family’s financial conditions were never stable, the educational support
I received – like textbooks, stationary and other things – encouraged me to continue to strive toward
excellence … My educational progress has been possible because of the support and motivation by CARD and
ChildFund, who supported my education inside and outside the classroom.”
Now, Rekha is on her way to building a better life for herself and her family. She graduated with a Bachelor
of Arts in 2019 (with an A average, no less!) and immediately started studying for her entrance exam for her
Bachelor of Education. Then COVID-19 struck.
Teaching During COVID-19

Rekha’s community is particularly vulnerable to the
risks of COVID-19 due to lack of awareness, a limited supply of clean water, low levels of nutrition
and ill-equipped health centers and hospitals. When schools shut down, kids in her area had no way to get an
education, so Rekha took it upon herself to make sure they could keep learning.
“I have started conducting classes for 30 children from my village at my house,” Rekha says, “so that the
children don’t miss out on education. We all follow COVID-related precautions.” In addition to teaching the
regular academic subjects, she also teaches her students about COVID-19 prevention methods and overall
hygiene — and she does all this for free.
“I dream of extending the power of education to other children in my village,” Rekha says. It looks like she’s
already starting to make that dream come true.
The Generational Impact of Sponsorship
That’s the thing about sponsorship – it begins as a connection between one sponsor and one child, but the
ripple effect that child can have on her community is incalculable. Think of the kids Rekha is teaching now,
and the classrooms she will teach after she gets her teaching degree. Think of her children, and her
students’ children. The generational impact of sponsorship is immeasurable, but we know it is immense.