Agra: It was a special day for the family of Aarti Sharma in Agra It started began with a visit to the temple as the family prepared for the arrival of some unexpected help from a distant state.
Aarti had shot to prominence earlier, after she put out a heartfelt appeal for help offering to sell her kidney to fund the education of her three daughters and one son.
Aarti lives with eight family members in a 330-sq-ft rented room at Rohata in Agra.
According to her, demonetisation had pushed her family into poverty, as their garment business shut down. But she was determined that her children get a good education.
After News18 Kerala reported the family’s plight, CPM MLA James Mathew from Taliparamba in Kannur took up Aarti’s cause. Today was the culmination of a month-long initiative launched in his home district.
School children from 150 schools in Kannur had come together to collect money to help Aarti’s family. Over 2 lakh rupees were brought to Agra by two school teachers, with the help of a Malayali Association in Delhi. The family looked visibly elated as Aarti, her husband and children arrived at the Bhagath Singh memorial community hall.
'Hum Thumhare Saath Hein, Hum Sab Ek Saath Hein ( We are with you, we are all together)' was the chant by one of the teachers who had got the money which brought tears in the eyes of the family.
When some in her own state of UP were reluctant to pitch in, the help from students in distant Kerala calling her ‘mother’ came as an unexpected surprise for Aarti.
Apart from the monetary aid, Aarti’s family was also presented with a memento affixed to which was a pair of gold earrings donated to them by a child artist in Kerala.
The teachers have also extended the offer of free education to Aarti’s children if they are willing to move to Kerala. James Mathew, MLA, said: “There are lots of good schools in Kerala. Taking this as an opportunity to offer good education to the children in other states, we are inviting them. They can study and live in Kerala as long as they want."
News18 Kerala spoke to Aarti’s eldest daughter, Navya, who said, “We have heard a lot about Kerala. We are interested to go there for our education. We are ready to go anywhere for a good education."
Little help came for Aarti from the BJP-ruled UP government. Yet the party has accused the Left government in Kerala of using aid for Aarti as an excuse to paint the saffron party in a bad light.
James Mathew brushed off these allegations, saying: “In Kerala, we are working hard to ensure free and quality education to all. We just wanted to extend this to helpless children in other states.”
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