MVF

MVF Singers

by Elisabeth Oakham

 I was visiting MVF's bridge school for girls in Hyderabad. A bridge school is, in this case, a two year intensive course for working children and street kids that catches them up academically to their peers who have been in the school system. The girls I met at this school were confident, boisterous and proud of their achievements. At this point in the trip, I was becoming wary of eager headmasters trying to give me very curated tours of their schools, and had been wondering how I could have a straight conversation with these girls about their experiences without using MVF staff as interpreters. I should not have worried. 

They sat me down and told me all about their lives and asked me all about mine. Each question and answer was an effort, but they were willing to make it. And then they sang to me.

Here's the translation: 

WE ARE COMING

We are now the wind
freed from the chains of
work ‘n’ plight
We are now the victors
storming the school
claiming our right

Marching through the scorching neglect
We are coming, coming, coming,
to show you tomorrow’s light

We are the children who never
had a dream nor play
We were the ones who let
you rest as we worked all the day.

led by the bed time tales of poverty
fed by the states show of charity
have we not led the life of beasts
of burden
have you ever thought the same
of your own children

childhood, life’s only precious good

never shall we trade this
not even to the God

we are the whistling wind
born of light
we are coming, coming, coming
to make tomorrow bright

MVF Profile

by Elisabeth Oakham

 This is a short video profile of the work that MVF does in Hyderabad.