Chumki Chatterjee works at Dakshini Prayash as a teacher, teaching Class 4 and 5 Maths and Class 6 and 7 Science, and has been part of the school for 12 years. “Being with the students” is a big highlight of her experience, but she also mentioned that “the environment is wonderful”. “Everyone is so cooperative and nice,” she notes. “Everyone is always willing to help.”

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For her, the best part about the Dakshini Prayash experience is how motivated the students are to attend school every day. Of course, there are some students that are regularly absent from classes, but the vast majority of students look forward to the lessons that come that day. “Just because someone is absent doesn’t mean they don’t want to come, though,” Chumki adds. “They may have problems at home.” The hunger for learning that the students have makes teaching a much easier job than expected for Chumki as it never fails to put a smile on her face either. 

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Chumki loves all the experiences that come with spending time at Dakshini Prayash, but she is especially fond of the extracurricular functions. “This is where we see students at our best”. Through art, dance and music, students are able to express themselves, and Chumki always feels proud when watching the students engage in these activities because “they perform so well”. However, she is sad to know that many parents don’t support the education their children are receiving, but school provides these students a shelter from the hardships they face at home.

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