It was six months ago that Radha came to work for me.
There was something so endearing about her that we both took to each other. She saw in me a mother and mother in law combined and I saw a lovely young girl cheerfully carrying the load fate had dealt her.
She had got married at 15 and at 26 was the mother of 4 children : Payal (9 years ) Rohan (7) ,Lakshmi  (5) and Shweta (8 months old).
Her husband had taken a debt for his business, which failed and the young couple was working hard to repay it.
Since there was no family support Payal looked after her younger brothers and sisters during the day.
There was no question of going to school for these children.
I got after Radha to admit the older three and ask someone to look after the youngest.
I kept emphasising the importance of education or else her kids would be doomed to domestic work too.

Nobody she said had ever told her that education  was important.
Finally she prevailed on her parents to look after the little one and at the beginning  of this session we got the kids admitted to a private school in the village.
Once the kids catch up we can think of sending them to a better one.

Payal is in Std 1, Rohan in UKG and Lakshmi in Nursery.
Today I visited their school and found a bunch of happy kids and a nice old fashioned atmosphere in the school.