When youngsters getting a privileged education decide to make good use of their time by teaching slum kids, it's the trickle down theory in action!

Take the case of 12-year-old Swatika Jain, a student of Mahatma Gandhi International School, who realized that her maid's daughter , Anjali Hadpati, could not afford a decent education. "We've been friends for three years and I feel it's my duty to teach Anjali as much as I can," she says. By devoting two hours daily to this selfless pursuit, she has taught the eightyear-old alphabets and a few words in English.

Says a grateful Anjali, "Swatika persuaded my mother to admit me to a school. I'm proud to have a friend like her. Not only is she fun to be with, she is also an excellent teacher."

But it's a mutual admiration society here. It's not only Swatika who dons the hat of a teacher, Anjali polishes her guru's Hindi skills too. "We both have something to learn from each other. Isn't that what friendship is all about?" asks Anjali, sounding much wiser than her years.

Pooja Yadav, 13, never misses a chance to visit Manav Sadhana's school where she teaches for more than five hours. "The kids who come here are not as fortunate as us. We are eager to share our knowledge with them. Teaching them is fun and a good way of utilizing our time," she says.

Another kid very upbeat about teaching slum kids is Ananya Gouthi, 12. "According to a study, in one-to-one interaction, kids learn a lot and understand things much better. The idea of teaching appeals to me a great deal. I want to make a difference to my country in my own way," she says.

Aarushi Balani of Delhi Public School has been a regular visitor at Samvedana, an NGO working with slum kids, for almost a year now. On balancing her class XII studies and this noble task, she says, "Instead of spending three hours watching a movie at a multiplex, I enjoy being with these kids. I have developed a special bond with them. I intend to continue this activity in the future too."