I’m Babitha, an 18-year-old (as of 2024) girl from Wayanad district. My family includes my father, mother, an elder brother, and two younger brothers. My father works as a laborer, and my mother is a housewife. Although my father drinks, it doesn’t cause problems anymore. There was a quarrel between my parents when I was in the 5th class, but now things have improved, and my father doesn’t harm my mother even though he still drinks.
We have a good and happy family situation. I stayed in a hostel from 3rd to 10th grade, and unfortunately, I faced caste discrimination there. The hostel warden and two class teachers always accused me and my friends, treating us unfairly. We felt like second-class citizens, always discouraged. Now, I realize it was because of our caste. My schooling didn’t help me develop good study skills.
Since joining Blossom hostel, I’ve experienced encouragement and inclusiveness. I feel a sense of ownership, free from fear or insecurity, always confident and secure. When I started at Blossom, I noticed my weaknesses. Even though I could read and write in Malayalam (the mother tongue of Kerala), my language skills were not fluent, and I made many spelling and grammar mistakes. I struggled to understand the complete meaning of my reading.
Now, I’ve improved a lot and successfully completed the eleventh grade. I’m preparing for my twelfth-grade public examination. Once I finish twelfth grade, I plan to study sociology for my bachelor’s degree.
