India - Before he was even a teenager, Arman carried burdens far heavier than bricks. Working long shifts in a kiln to help feed his family, he believed their suffering was his fault.

“If I were a better son,” he thought, “maybe my father wouldn’t drink. Maybe my mother wouldn’t cry.” By 13, Arman knew only the dust and heat of the kiln, never the inside of a classroom.

When our partners first met him at the brick factory, Arman was defensive. “What’s the point?” he asked. “I don’t belong in school. I need to earn.”

But they didn’t give up. Through repeated visits, they brought his family groceries, listened to their story, and offered steady encouragement.

One day, without warning, Arman showed up at the learning center. “Can I just sit at the back and listen?” he asked quietly. That question changed everything.

He enrolled in school the following week. At first, the adjustment was difficult—he was older than his classmates and far behind. But Arman’s determination was unwavering.

He stayed late for tutoring, studied hard, and soon began helping other children with their studies.

Now in Class 6, Arman is not only catching up—he’s leading. The first in his family to ever attend school, he dreams of becoming a social worker to help other children who feel forgotten, just as he once did.

The boy who once believed he was worthless is now inspiring others.

“I don’t feel guilty anymore,” he says. “My life matters. I matter. And now I know I can change my family’s story—not by carrying their pain, but by creating something better.”