MADURAI: Two inmates of the government-run Sathya Ammaiyar Ninaivu Orphanage passed Class X exam with flying colours, scoring 420 and 402 respectively out of 500. A total of eight girls from the home sat for the exam of which six passed and two secured marks above 400.

Recalling her past, Dharshana (name changed), who secured 402 marks, said her mother took her life because of her alcoholic father when she was in Class III. A few months later, her father died in a road accident. "The death of my parents has left a scar in my heart. My childhood was spent in poverty and insecurity, besides a longing for parental love and three meals a day. My grandmother struggled to take care of my younger sister and me. Finally, she enrolled us in this home. For the past five years, my sister and I have been living here. I now see the world through the kindness and unconditional love of my fellow inmates. They are my family."

Dharshana wants to study Computer- Mathematics group and become a movie director. "I would like to transform the world through my films, and I believe its reach is greater than any other medium," she said.

Another girl, Dhansika (name changed), who secured 420 marks, lost her mother when she was just five because the family could not afford medical treatment. A few years later, she lost her father also. "My sister and I have been living in this home for the past three years. I believe education is the only tool that can transform both society and an individual. I received proper guidance here. This home has given a new life to my sister and me. I would like to give back to society through service. No one should die due to the non-availability of medical treatment. I want to do my part for society by becoming a doctor," she said.

(Counselling to overcome suicidal thoughts is available at TN health department helpline 104 or Sneha helpline 044-24640050)

This story is reported by Jeyalakshmi Ramanujam