Khushbu* lives in a remote village in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Eight siblings, and parents and grandparents make up this big family. Khushbu is the youngest child and is the centre of the entire family’s attention, she is also the luckiest because she is the only child who has had the opportunity to attend…
EDUCATING THE MOST MARGINALISED GIRLS IN INDIA: IT TAKES A COMMUNITY
This story depicts the hardships that Educate Girls’ frontline workers endure to ensure that no girl in their village is left behind. Satish Yadav (23) who works with Educate Girls as a Field Coordinator looks after the implementation of the core programme in eight villages of Khandwa district (in Madhya Pradesh), instructing village-based volunteers there….
AN INFORMED-DECISION HELPS LALI ENTER THE SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME
10-year old Lali had never imagined that she would go to school one day. Her parents hail from a village in the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Lali was only 5 -years old when her parents migrated to the state of Gujarat for better employment opportunities. When Lali’s parents and elder brother went to do…
PRIYA IS THANKFUL THAT HER FAMILY RESCUED HER BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE
Priya was married at age 18 to a man that was 20 years her senior. Her family had saved up during her growing years to be able to provide a dowry that would be enough for a suitable husband, but still had to take out a loan to pay for the lavish gifts that Priya’s…
IF MY PARENTS AND I HAD BEEN MORE AWARE OF OUR RIGHTS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE ABUSE AS WE DID
Padma is 21 years old. She was married in the 8th standard. Her father refused to send her to live with her marital family until she finished the school year, but her in-laws were persistent. She was eventually pulled from school and sent to live in her marital home. At first, she was adjusting and…
I LOVE AND RESPECT MY WIFE. IF SHE’S HAPPY THEN I’M HAPPY
In the community where Vidya was raised, girls were typically not educated. Many families didn’t even want to bring a girl into the world, because she is seen as a liability. A girl was usually married off and sent to live with her in-laws, never returning to support or care for her family. Vidya’s parents were…
BECAUSE OF EDUCATE GIRLS, SUNITA IS IN SCHOOL AND NOT A CHILD BRIDE
Sunita is the oldest of four siblings. When she was young, she and her family lived in town. She attended school daily and was very content. However, things changed when her father lost his job. He tried to find more work, but was unsuccessful, and her mother had a disability, which meant she could not…
PRASHANT REALIZED THAT HIS LITTLE SISTER WOULD BE BETTER OFF IN SCHOOL
Sushila’s family economic status has never been ideal. Her father struggled to provide for her, her mother, and her older brother, Prashant. When Sushila’s mother found work in a nearby factory, Sushila was expected to fetch water, cook, and keep the house clean. She would wake up every day at 5am to start her chores. …
I OWE MY SUCCESS TO MY FATHER’S LOVE
Neeta’s mother died in childbirth. In such cases, it is common in the community to consider such a child cursed. However, instead of shunning her, or seeing her as cursed, Neeta’s father thought of his daughter as a blessing. She was his only child, and he loved her. Many neighbors asked him why he would…
KAVITA’S JOURNEY OF BECOMING A ROLE MODEL
Kavita is a 19 year old girl from a small village near Jhalawar city in Rajasthan. Coming from a place where girls are taught to do only household chores and farming, what she has achieved today truly sets her apart. She is now a role model in her village for every girl aspiring to get…
