The schoolchildren pooled their pocket money to help the beggars.
Till last year 55-year-old Saroja, a widow, used to beg on the streets of Chennai to raise her orphaned grandchildren. Now she is a roadside vendor, selling fashion accessories at a bus stop in Perambur.
Her remarkable transformation was made possible by the efforts of students of Kaligi Ranganathan Montford Matric School. The schoolchildren pooled their pocket money to set up a small shop for her so she could lead a dignified life. They also take turns to help her with purchase and expanding her business.
A happy Saroja said, "I'm very motivated now. My grandchildren shouldn't depend on anyone. Now I want to do well and be able to help others in need."
The class 12 students have also transformed lives of two other beggars in the neighborhood by setting up small businesses. They have spent around Rs 7,000 from the pocket money they saved. They say, they were inspired by a social project called Design for Change.
Like Saroja, the students have also helped Rosamma, a former beggar, get a job at their school too. The 55-year-old woman is now the housekeeper at their school. The management pays her Rs 4,000 a month.
Deepika, a class 12 student, said, "Youth can bring about the perfect change."
Christie, another student, said, "I feel like I've contributed something to the country. It gives me happiness."
Many students say the experience taught them key business lessons.
Teachers however explain they have a different purpose. "Being a human is more important than being a human being. We train them to be better humans," Anitha Daniel, the headmistress of their school, said.