Trichy :

Twelve-year-old V Mahalakshmi was working as a housemaid in Sembattu in 2009 when members of the Child Labour Effective Elimination and Rehabilitation Society (CHEERS) in Trichy found her and rescued her. She was shifted to a special training centre and later got admission into a school in Namakkal which provided her free education for two years.

When the Plus Two results were announced on Thursday, it was a vindicating moment for Mahalakshmi and the people who stood by her. She had scored 1,142 out of 1,200 and a cut-off mark of 192.25. She was one among the seven child labourers rescued by CHEERS who appeared for the Plus Two examination this year.

“After my husband Venkatapathy’s death in 2009 due to health problems, I had to discontinue my daughter’s education due to financial constraints. I never thought my daughter will reach such a good position,” said Mahalakshmi’s mother V Kalaivani, who is a construction worker. “Hard work and the motivation I received from my school teachers helped me realise my dream of scoring good marks in Plus Two examinations. I am confident that I will get admission to pursue MBBS in a government medical college and be able to serve the people. I sincerely thank all the people who acted behind my success,” Mahalakshmi told TOI.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Trichy / TNN /May 28th, 2015