Rock Crushers
Work doesn't get harder than this ...
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First Encounters
In 2007, Leena and her father went to purchase rocks from a nearby mine for a
ServeTrust project and stumbled upon a colony of extremely poor people ... |
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Life is Tough
Families were living in this very hot and dusty environment, mere yards from dangerous quarry operations
involving heavy machinery and explosives. The men of these several small villages struggle to provide
for their families and do so by breaking rocks for use in road-building and other industries. This work
pays very poorly and takes a heavy toll physically.
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| Tough Work |
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Children Suffering
Sadly, the pittance the men earn provides little, so the children join their parents in the back-breaking
work rather than attend school - and get paid $1 a day. Some of the children were suffering the effects of
starvation, and the houses are perhaps better described as one room crude shelters made of cinderblock,
straw thatch roofs and dirt floors. Seeing the harsh impoverishment of this community, Leena and ServeTrust
felt compelled to respond.
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| Leena with some of the Children |
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What to do ...
The first priority was to feed the hungry children, provide support for the mothers, and blankets for all.
The second was to stop the children from working and provide them an education. As one of the newest program
successes, Leena started this school by renting a straw pavilion next to the road where large trucks roar by carrying rock and stirring up dust.
No other building in the quarry was available or suitable.
Eventually under extreme pressure from the parents who were upset at Leena because their children were being exposed to the sun and 37 kids were hospitalized with heat-stroke,
Leena felt the urgent need to construct a building. Leena had no choice but to borrow money for the construction. Thanks to the financial generosity of an Australian church, there is a small building now, adequate for and indeed very suitable for the Rock Crusher community school.
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Temple Children
Begging by the Temple
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Dire Straits
On her many travels to and from various ServeTrust initiatives, Leena passed near a Hindu
Pilgrim Center and would see children begging and hungry with matted hair, skin disease and in dirty clothing.
She followed them and discovered a slum village where the conditions were saddening for all, especially the children.
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Started ...
Over time, Leena has earned the trust of the parents of the community. Many have accepted
the generosity of ServeTrust providing clothes, food, and school supplies allowing their children to attend a nearby
government primary school. The school is a small, two room, yellow cement building. The ServeTrust children stand
out, as they are clean and wearing uniforms provided by Leena. The number of children attending school from this
community has more than doubled in the last 6 months.
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| Desperate living conditions |
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Much yet to do ...
While these efforts are in there early infancy, it is clear, both of these communities of
people have gained hope for a brighter future out the efforts, generosity and love of ServeTrust. Leena knows the
children of these communities are part of the long-term answer. Serve Trust believes education is a vital part of
the solution for these people, as it has been for others. Leena hopes to encourage more of the children to attend
their nearby primary schools.
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| The Children are The Future |
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