Latest news with #Behsa
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Language is no barrier for this six-year-old Afghan girl in Kerala
KOTTAYAM: 'Ente peru Behsa Karimi,' she said in a sweet yet crisply articulated voice, before proceeding to confidently count to ten. Her Malayalam belying her origins in war-torn Afghanistan. In a classroom buzzing with the chatter of children and the fresh scent of books, the six-year-old captivated the hearts of everyone. Hailing from Herat, third-largest city in Afghanistan, Behsa is one of 16 students admitted to the first grade at Mudiyoorkara Govt LP School. She is the daughter of Mohammad Fahim Karimi, a research student of management studies at MG University, and Ellaha Zahir. Fahim first arrived in Kottayam, with family, in 2021 to pursue his postgraduate studies. The family currently resides near Thellakom. With his wife and children accompanying him on his student visa, Behsa had the opportunity to learn Malayalam at a very young age. She also completed her preschool education in Kottayam, which contributed to her fluency in the local tongue. 'My Malayalam vocabulary is limited. I find the language quite challenging. However, my daughter has picked up the language well. She attended pre-school at SH School here. I think she will not face any language barriers, because she is a fast learner. I hope my daughter will help her classmates learn English as well,' said Fahim. Fahim expressed his happiness at the warm and welcoming attitude of the local people. 'My family really appreciates their attitude,' he said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Kottayam school welcomes student from Afghanistan
Kottayam: A surprise was in store for all at the pravesanolsavam at one of the oldest LP schools in the state on Tuesday. Among the 16 students that joined class one at the govt LP school, Mudiyoorkkara, was a native from Afghanistan. It was six-year-old Behsa Karimi who walked into the classroom and, in no time, made friends with the rest of the students. Behsa is the eldest daughter of Mohammed Fahim Karimi, a native of Kabul, and Ellaha Sahir. Fahim, who arrived in Kottayam four years ago, is doing research in business studies at the MG University. The couple also has one younger boy named Bahar Karimi. Sindhu K, the headmistress of the school, said that there were students of many guest workers that used to study here. "It is for the first time a foreign student is studying in this school," she said. She also said that Behsa speaks English very well and the teachers are communicating with her in English. "Right now, we are communicating with her in English," she said. Apart from English, Behsa speaks Afghani and Urdu very well. "Last year, seven children of guest workers had joined Class I," said Shalini K Lakshmanan, another teacher. There are a total of four teachers in the school for Class I-IV, while two for nursery classes. "The family was staying near the school and that was the main reason why the child's parents chose this school," added Shalini. Behsa was welcomed by the teachers, led by the headmistress with flowers, as she walked into the school established in 1911, with her parents on Tuesday morning.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Little Afghani girl steps into world of letters from Kottayam
As classrooms across the State filled with the chatter of children and the scent of fresh books on Monday, it was a six-year-old girl from Afghanistan who captured hearts in Kottayam. Clutching her new school bag and dressed in a crisp yellow frock, Behsa Karimi walked into Government LP School, Mudiyoorrkkara, with wide eyes and an eager smile. This bright young girl, originally from Herat in Afghanistan, is one of 16 students who joined Grade I this year. Behsa is the daughter of Mohammad Fahim Karimi, a 33-year-old research scholar in Management Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), and Ellaha Zahir. Though her roots lie in the rugged landscapes of Afghanistan, Behsa's early learning has begun right here in Kottayam, where she also attended pre-school. This made her the star of the school's reopening ceremony on Monday. It's the first time the school here has welcomed a student from another country and the teachers were thrilled. Headmistress Sindhu K. and her team greeted Behsa with open arms. Soon, she was exploring her classroom, exchanging shy giggles with new friends and adapting to the rhythm of her new school life. 'She speaks more Malayalam than I do,' Fahim chuckled. 'Though I came here five years ago, I barely know ten words in this language. But Behsa will have no trouble picking up the nuances here. She's already at home,' he said Fahim first arrived in Kottayam in 2021 to pursue his postgraduate studies. Now a research scholar at MGU, he still has two more years of research to complete and the family is currently settled near Thellakom. During this time, Kottayam will remain home for the Karimi family, and for Behsa this school will be her world. On her very first day, she received her textbooks, uniform and school bag from the school. While Fahim and Behsa are here on student visas, her mother and two year old sister, Behar, are on dependent visas.
