In Their Words: Teaching with Hope, Leading with Purpose

Miss Fauzia Ansari, a B.Sc., B.Ed. graduate and veteran teacher at Anjuman-I-Islam's Begum Sharifa Kalsekar Girls' English High School, has spent her career in classrooms filled with promise. Her students are first-generation learners: girls growing up in families where school was often a right denied to their mothers and grandmothers. The school has always been a sanctuary for these young women, many from under-resourced communities in Mumbai. But for years, the determination of the staff and the talent of the students weren't enough. Despite a clear mission and dedicated educators, limited fundraising capacity meant some girls inevitably slipped through the cracks.

Then came the pandemic. For families already stretched thin, lockdowns brought an impossible choice: food or school fees. Miss Fauzia and her colleagues watched with worry as students teetered on the brink of dropping out. That's when GEET's partnership began.

"In this journey, we are deeply grateful to GEET for being more than just a supporter. GEET has been a true partner in empowerment," Miss Fauzia shared with us. During the COVID-19 lockdown, GEET launched an emergency scholarship programme that ensured learning didn't have to stop just because livelihoods had. The support was not a one-time intervention. What began as financial aid grew into a long-term partnership rooted in trust. GEET's assistance with student fees helped the school keep its doors open to those who needed it most. The relationship deepened, not through grand gestures, but through thoughtful, consistent support.

One such moment came when GEET donated 20 computers to the school — sparking a quiet transformation. For many girls, this was their first time using a computer. Access to digital tools widened their world, helping them dream of futures they had never imagined before. "The donation of 20 computers for our computer lab has transformed the learning environment," Miss Fauzia said. "Our students are now accessing digital tools and opportunities that were once out of reach."

But the partnership didn't stop at the classroom door. With workshops and skills training for mothers, and sessions aimed at strengthening parental involvement, the school began to feel less like a stand-alone institution and more like the heart of a thriving community. Today, the echoes of that partnership are visible not just in higher retention rates or improved facilities, but in something less tangible — hope. Hope in the eyes of girls who no longer fear being pulled out of school. Confidence in a teacher who knows she's no longer carrying the burden alone.

"Our mission is rooted in the belief that every girl deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and achieve her dreams — regardless of her circumstances," Fauzia wrote. It is a belief she has always held. Now, it's one that more and more of her students are beginning to share.