Sharmin: I want to study. Please, take me in.
One day, ten-year-old Sharmin came to the Chalantika Education Centre in Dhaka on her own. She stopped at the door, watched for a moment what was happening inside, and then took a step forward. She crossed the threshold and said to the teacher: “I want to study. Please, take me in.”
A tin shack full of fear and uncertainty
Sharmin is growing up in the densely populated Chalantika slum in Dhaka. Her home? A small tin shack, one of many lined up in rows and separated by narrow wooden walkways. The entire settlement stands on bamboo structures above a swamp filled with waste.
Inside, there is just one room. A simple wooden bed, clothes hanging on lines, a few pots, and basic cooking utensils. Five people live in this small space.
When it rains, the rattling tin roof drowns out any conversation. And during the summer, when temperatures rise above forty degrees, the heated metal roof turns the air inside into something almost unbreathable — not to mention the smell from the sewage below.
Tension in the household is also part of daily life. Sharmin’s father struggles with addiction and has been using drugs for a long time. He does not work and does not contribute to supporting the family. Sometimes he is quiet and withdrawn, as if he were not there at all. At other times he becomes aggressive and the children fall silent. Shouting, insults, beatings, tears. When he cannot get drugs, he suffers from health problems. For the children, this means living in an environment that is neither predictable nor safe.
The burden of caring for the household with three children rests on Sharmin’s mother, Kajol. She works as a domestic helper in five households. She leaves early in the morning and returns in the afternoon. Her monthly income of 8,000 taka is painfully low. Half goes on rent, a quarter on her son’s schooling. 2,000 taka must cover food and basic necessities. That is about 14 EUR for the whole month… less then 0.1 EUR per day per person. Food is not guaranteed.
The courage to ask
Sharmin grew up in an environment where children often do not get the opportunity to be educated. Despite this, at the age of ten she decided to act. She found her way to the Chalantika Education Centre on her own and asked for the chance to study, saying: “I want to study. Please, take me in.”
The centre’s team verified her situation directly on site. They saw the conditions the family lives in, as well as the challenging family environment. Sharmin met all the criteria for admission — but at the time, the centre was full. She was therefore placed on a waiting list.
Life at home continued unchanged. But one thing was different — Sharmin knew there was hope. And when a place became available, she was accepted.
Today, she is in Year 2 and attends the education centre regularly. She has a structured day, access to education, regular meals, and spends time in a safe environment with other children.
For her mother, this is a profound change. “I used to worry about what would happen to the children when I came home. My husband is unpredictable. But now I know Sharmin is safe,” she says.
Sharmin is clear about her future: “I want to become a teacher. I want to help children like me.”
Provide safety and food for other children
Sharmin’s story is not unique. There are many children growing up in environments where food is uncertain, adults spend all day working away from home, and the family is not always a safe place.
Sharmin was given a chance because she came to the centre’s door and found the courage to express her wish. Many other children will not take this step on their own. But that does not matter.
Your support can provide them with food, safety, and education. Thanks to you, they too can one day say:
“I want to study.” Help children from the Chalantika slum open the door to a new life.
Donate Education. Donate a Future.
Thank you!
