In India, where millions of children sleep on the street or are forced to work non-stop from the age of seven, it is hard to imagine that change is possible. But Sister Cyril Mooney's vision of a safe place for children and a team of barefoot teachers have fed, clothed and educated 350,000 children. When Sister Cyril took over the elite Loreto School in 1979, she cut in half the number of traditional fee-paying students, forgoing revenues for things one might find in wealthy schools, like a swimming pool. Today 50 percent of the students -- most from the slums -- attend for free. There is also a night shelter, called the Rainbow Program, where about 250 girls study, play, eat and sleep. The school's roof terrace has been converted into a dormitory. During the day, children of judges and doctors mingle with those of rag pickers, their lives intertwined. Every so-called regular student is required to spend at least two hours a week tutoring a Rainbow child. Not only have social barriers fallen, Sister Cyril says, but the students have become advocates for change. They volunteer to teach in rural areas, and they've tackled the pervasive use of domestic child labor in middle-class homes. Quotes "She told me, 'I make my living by picking people's pockets. But I only pick what I need.' Now, what do you do with a child like that?" - Sister Cyril Mooney "Mahatma Gandhi was only one man. He managed to get the might of the British Empire out of India, which is something quite fantastic. I mean, we can do it if all of us will work together." - Sister Cyril Mooney Warm Up Questions 1. What is poverty? What are some risks for children who live in poverty? 2. What do you know about India? Discussion Questions 1. Do you think a school like this would work in the United States? Why or why not? 2. There are more than 1 billion people in India, compared to 300 million in the United States (there are more than three times as many people in India, which has less land than the United States). What challenges does India's enormous population present for the government? 3. Why does poverty in India matter? 4. Why do you think poverty is such a problem in India? Why are people wealthier in the United States? Additional Resources Transcript of this report Download this Video