Help us congratulate Anamika, and the class of 2024

There is no better feeling than accomplishment. For Anamika, graduating meant more opportunities and a chance to provide a better future for her family. As the fresh graduates gear up for the next leg of their journey, Anamika is grateful and says that her family “can move forward towards a better life.”  

Anamika grew up with her parents, her brother, and two sisters in a two-room brick house in Chalice’s Assam sponsor site in northern India. Her father, Phatik, was a daily wage laborer, and her mother, Arati, stayed at home, tending to her family’s needs. 

When the Assam site staff met Phatik and Arati, they were struggling to provide Anamika with what she needed for school. Her younger sister was born with a speech impairment and needed to go to a school that specialized in working with children with hearing and speech disabilities. It was overwhelming. They needed extra support; this is where sponsorship comes in. 

“I was sponsored by Chalice in 2014 when I was in grade eight,” says Anamika, now 23. “It was my fortune that I got Chalice in my life.” Chalice sponsorship has transformed Anamika’s life. Sponsorship allows children to experience opportunities, like education and site programs. Sponsoring a child also allows parents to buy healthy foods so they can make nutritious meals for their families. 

“We are very grateful to you for all the help we have received from Chalice, not only in education, but also health and nutrition,” she says. Through the gift catalog, her family received extra food. “Chalice helped me a lot to achieve my goal and helped in improving my family’s condition.” 

Anamika and her family were always thrilled to hear from her sponsor in Canada. “Every year we get Christmas cards, special gifts, and birthday gifts. We are ever grateful and honored to have you as our support.” It was something they could look forward to. Anamika and her sponsor grew a special connection together. 

With her sponsor’s support and gifts of special money sent for birthdays and holidays, she strove towards university. Her parents could also use the sponsorship funds to ensure her sister went to the right school. “Her studies are going well,” Anamika reports. 

After ten years in the sponsorship program, Anamika graduated from university. Sadly, her father wasn’t there to see her receive her degree. Phatik died suddenly of an illness in 2023, before she received her diploma. Her dad would have been proud of her. But her year brought joy as well, with the birth of her first nephew. Equipped with her degree, Anamika feels empowered to uplift and support her family since her father was the only one with an income. She made it through the year and was now ready to begin her career.  

“I was able to complete my graduation; now I am capable of finding a job and taking care of myself and my family, because of the sacrifice that {my sponsor} made for me,” she says. 

“Thank you for supporting me, and my family, for the past 10 years,” she says. “Thank you for your love, kindness, prayers, and generosity. I will also remember you in my prayers.” 

This year, you can be the reason a child’s dream comes true. Let 2024 be the year of connection and success. Sponsorship enables children to attend class every day and have the supplies they need to complete their education, grow up healthy, and achieve their dreams.