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…
SURBHI PURSUES THE DREAM OF HER GRANDFATHER
Surbhi*, a 13-year old from a village in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh is the apple of her grandfather’s eye. Everyone calls her grandpa’s ‘Pampered Princess’. Every evening she sits with her grandfather and her siblings and can be seen reciting poems, narrating stories or just sharing her experiences at school from earlier in the…
A TEACHER USES HIS PERSONAL SAVINGS TO MAKE HIS SCHOOL SAFE, COMFORTABLE AND FUN FOR GIRLS
Every once in a while we come across stories of teachers who go beyond their role and are inspiring change on the ground. One such teacher is Shankar Lal Kaag who is the Head Master of a Government-run girls’ lower-primary school located in a village in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Shankar Lal is an…
SUDHA RISES ABOVE GENDER-BIAS
“As soon as I heard about the arrival of Sudha’s* family, I went to meet them. Unfortunately, they turned a deaf ear when I spoke to them about her enrolment. I questioned their decision to let their elder son study but not Sudha. I tried explaining them about gender equality and gave them examples of…
GOING BEYOND THE DUTIES OF AN SMC MEMBER
In this village of Rajasthan, only 2 boys have completed their 10th Grade. The upper-primary school being 5 kilometers away, most parents refuse to send their children to school since they would better serve at home learning farming or doing other chores. When Educate Girls intervened in this village, it was very difficult for the…
AN INTERN’S EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE
As a child, being on time to school was my only worry. However, in some remote corner of the country lives a girl who is willing to walk across the hill for more than an hour just to reach her school. With dedication, persistence and support from her family, at least she is going to…
