The Help Network
English for the oppressed
The Help Network
English for the oppressed
“This girl lives in the slums of an Indian city. When she wakes every morning her parents don’t know if she will have enough to eat today or any other day for that matter. As she sat in the English class I witnessed, taught by our Help Network instructor I was awed by the hope she and the others showed in a place where hope is in short supply. As she listened and repeated the simple English lessons she was learning I could see her hope rising, rising out of the slums to opportunity.”
Why English?
English is the language of commerce and higher education in India. However, due to systemic poverty and the cultural oppression of the caste system, English education is unavailable to wide swaths of the population. The tragedy lies in the fact that even a limited knowledge of English may mean employment for an individual, and income for an entire family.
Why English?
English is the language of commerce and higher education in India. However, due to systemic poverty and the cultural oppression of the caste system, English education is unavailable to wide swaths of the population. The tragedy lies in the fact that even a limited knowledge of English may mean employment for an individual, and income for an entire family.
The Help Network seeks to serve “the least of these” in this world through the empowering effects of education. We provide a FREE and portable English curriculum to any organization seeking to serve its own community. Providing English instruction opens doors for teachers and churches to spread the liberating love of God through the Gospel and active community service. The idea is to put resources in the hands of locals who have the knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and social networks to make a real and lasting impact on lives, both earthly and eternal!
Trip Update
Trip Update
Click below to watch a video about the Help Network
Testimony
Testimony
My name is Sarah, and I am just one small part of the Help Network! I help train tHN English teachers in India, and develop curriculum. In my daily life, I work with children who have special needs. My favorite thing in the world is to see that spark of joy in a child’s eyes when she learns something new…there is something so beautiful about those moments of discovery. I got involved with tHN because of this one idea: Education changes the world! Knowledge is power. Whether it’s my clients here at home, or Dalit children in India, knowledge can mean the difference between a life at the mercy of the whims of others and a life of freedom.
During my first visit to India, it was impossible to ignore the faces of the children we saw; children denied access to resources on the basis of caste. It broke my heart then, and to be honest, I’ve never quite healed. I see now that my broken heart is a gift from God. He wouldn’t let me forget, and He wouldn’t let me ignore it anymore. I love tHN’s simple approach: Put tools in the hands of educators to enrich and lift up their own communities. We have been called to provide culturally sensitive English education, rooted in the Gospel, to those who would benefit from it the most. These English classes give teachers the chance to bring Christ to their students in practical ways, with benefits that last generations! Their courageous work makes my efforts of writing and training seem petty…I am truly so honored to support them in anyway I can. I thank God daily that I have been given a chance to play even a small role in His incredible work worldwide!