Thu May 08 20:12:40 UTC 2025: **Chennai Students Triumph Over Adversity: Street Kids Ace 12th Grade Exams**
CHENNAI, INDIA (May 9, 2025) – Seven Chennai students, all first-generation learners and living on the streets, have defied overwhelming odds to pass their Class 12 public examinations with flying colors. Despite studying under challenging conditions – amidst blaring traffic, using streetlights as their only illumination, and lacking a dedicated study space – their determination paid off.
The students, including S. Gowri, M. Mega, M. Sakthi, D. Vignesh, and M. Sangeetha, attribute their success to the support of their teachers and the Karunalaya Centre, which provided a temporary haven for study. They described their schools as places of safety, providing not only education but also assistance with fees. Gowri, whose parents are a rickshaw driver and flower seller, highlighted the teachers’ crucial role in enabling her education when her family couldn’t afford it.
Their aspirations are high. Gowri and Mega aim to become lawyers, Vignesh aspires to be a teacher, and Sangeetha, rescued from Marina Beach four years ago, plans to pursue an arts degree and professional yoga instruction after painting a shelter wall with yoga postures. The students cited their parents’ lack of educational opportunities as motivation, emphasizing that education is their path to a better future. Despite the significant challenges they faced, including studying in the dark and amidst constant noise, their perseverance and dedication have led to a remarkable achievement.
First Piper 