Give a girl a bike: help her to go to school

For many girls in rural Maharashtra, reaching school each day can be a challenge of distance, time and effort. When a school is several kilometres from home and a family cannot afford a bicycle, walking becomes the only option. Long journeys can mean spending hours on the road, arriving tired, or having less time and energy left for studies. Through our interactions with communities, we have seen how something as basic as transportation can influence a girl’s ability to continue her education.

Freedom on Wheels was created to address this everyday challenge by providing bicycles to girls who need them to reach school. A bicycle can make the journey easier, help girls reach school on time, save valuable time and energy, and give them greater freedom in travelling to and from school. The stories in this report offer a glimpse into these journeys and the difference that a simple bicycle can make - not just in how a girl reaches school, but in the time, confidence and opportunity she carries with her along the way.

5 to 6 Kilometres Every Day: Shruti’s Journey to School 

Shruti is a seventh-grade student whose home is nearly 5 to 6 kilometers away from her school. Her family’s main occupation is farming, and like many children growing up in a farming household, Shruti has grown up understanding the value of effort and perseverance.

Before receiving a bicycle, getting to school meant walking the entire distance every day. The journey was long and tiring, and much of Shruti’s time and energy went into simply reaching her classroom. Even so, she continued going to school because she wanted to learn and continue her education.

Through the KickStart Girls programme, Shruti received a bicycle from Mann Deshi Foundation. For her, the bicycle has changed one of the most ordinary parts of her day - the journey to school.

She can now travel more easily and reach school on time. The time and energy that were once spent walking can now be used for something more important to her: her studies.

“Now I can travel to school easily and on time. My time and energy are saved, and I get more time to focus on my studies.”

Shruti describes the change as making her journey to school easier and happier. For a young girl who has to travel several kilometers each day, that difference matters.

The bicycle has become a small but important part of Shruti’s educational journey. It has not changed where her school is or the distance she has to travel, but it has changed how she gets there—and what she can do with the time and energy she saves.

Through the KickStart Girls programme, Mann Deshi Foundation is helping Shruti continue her education with a little more ease, a little more time, and the freedom to focus on what matters most to her.

More Time to Learn: Vaishali’s Journey to School 

Vaishali  is a school-going girl who is determined to continue her education and build a better future for herself. She lives about 2 kilometers away from her school. Every day, she walked this distance to attend classes, carrying on with her studies despite the difficulties of her daily journey.

For Vaishali, getting to school was not always easy. Walking to and from school took considerable time and effort, leaving her with less time for her studies. Her family could not afford to buy her a bicycle, so walking remained her only option.

When the Mann Deshi Foundation team identified Vaishali through the KickStart Girls – Freedom on Wheels initiative, her need for support was recognised. She received a bicycle through the programme, giving her an easier and more efficient way to travel to school.

The change has made a meaningful difference to her everyday life. Vaishali can now reach school more easily and save valuable time that she can spend studying. What was once a tiring part of her daily routine has become a simpler journey, allowing her to focus more of her time and energy on her education.

“Receiving the bicycle has made my journey to school easier, and now I have more time to study.”

For Vaishali, the bicycle is more than a means of transportation. It has given her back something valuable - time. Time to study, time to focus on her education, and the freedom to make her journey to school with greater ease.

Her story is a reminder that sometimes, a small change can make a meaningful difference in a young girl's educational journey. By helping Vaishali overcome a practical barrier to reaching school, the bicycle is helping her continue her education with greater confidence.

We are grateful to all our supporters who make journeys like Vaishali’s possible. A bicycle may seem like a small gift, but for her, it means an easier journey to school, more time to study, and one less barrier between her and the education she is determined to continue. 

Four Kilometres Closer to Her Dreams: Sanjana’s Story 

For Sanjana, a 9th-grade student from Shinde Vasti, Khadki Road, education is an important part of the future she hopes to build. With her school located nearly 4 kilometers from home, reaching her classroom every day requires time and effort.

Her parents work as daily-wage labourers, doing their best to support the family. With limited financial resources, purchasing a bicycle for Sanjana was difficult. Despite this, she continued her studies, knowing that education was important for her future.

One day, Sanjana learned about the Mann Deshi Foundation’s bicycle programme, which helps girls overcome difficulties in travelling to school. Rather than waiting for an opportunity to come her way, she visited the Foundation herself, learned about the programme and completed the application form.

On 15th August 2026, Sanjana’s wait came to an end. She received a bicycle from Mann Deshi Foundation. Surrounded by other girls who also received bicycles that day, she felt extremely happy and proud. For her, it was a moment she would remember - not just because she received a bicycle, but because it meant her daily journey to school could finally become easier.

With her new bicycle, Sanjana will be able to save valuable travel time, reach school on time and have more time to concentrate on her studies. What once took considerable effort will now become a more manageable part of her day.

“It will save my travel time, help me reach school on time, and give me more time to focus on my studies.”

For Sanjana, the bicycle brings a sense of freedom and possibility. She feels proud to have an organisation like Mann Deshi Foundation working close to her village, supporting girls and helping them continue their education. With her bicycle, she can now look ahead to her school days with greater ease and focus on what matters most to her: learning and building her future.

We are deeply grateful to all our supporters and donors who have made these journeys possible. Your contribution is helping girls overcome an everyday barrier to education and giving them something precious: more time, greater mobility, and the freedom to pursue their dreams. For each girl, a bicycle may be a simple means of getting to school, but it can make her journey a little easier and her possibilities a little wider. Thank you for believing in her journey and investing in her future.