By Team | Educate Girls
12-year-old Pooja* lives with her parents in the Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh and has two elder sisters who are married. Her father owns a farm and a grocery store.
As her school was at a distance in the village, her father allowed her to go to school with their neighbor's children. She went to school with them everyday and loved it, however, her good days were numbered. Her school only held classes till the 5th Grade and as all the children in the neighborhood graduated to the 6th Grade, her father was reluctant to send her to school by herself even though the school was in the same village. As she completed the 3rd Grade, he asked Pooja to sit back at home and help her mother with the household chores.
Educate Girls' Field Coordinator Pramita met Pooja's family during a field survey. After she got to know that Pooja was a drop-out, Pramita tried to convince Pooja's family. But her efforts were in vain as Pooja's father stood firm on his decision of not letting his daughter go to school alone. He further told Pratima that there is no point in sending Pooja to school as they plan to get her married within a few years. Hearing this, Pramita felt helpless as she was completely against child marriage and had been trying her best to move the community against it. As she did not wish this fate for any girl in her village, it gave her strength to not give up.
Meanwhile, Pooja's elder sister spoke to Pramita and urged her to help Pooja go to school as she didn't want her sister's life to become like hers. She wanted a better and brighter future for Pooja. After hearing her sister's appeal, Pramita was even more persistent to enrol Pooja back in school.
Pramita organized a community meeting where she addressed the village head and the community on the importance of girls' education to get them on board before she convinced Pooja's father. The entire village then spoke in favor of sending Pooja to school and her father had no choice but to relent and agreed to get her enrolled.
Pramita was happy to have been able to successfully help Pooja go back to school again with immense support from the school teacher. Her mother also agreed to manage the chores in the morning so that Pooja could attend school. Pooja now studies in the 4th Grade and loves to attend school. She comes back home and helps her mother with the chores before she sits to study and do her homework for the day.
"I want to study and work like Pramita didi. She changed my life by sending me to school again. I want to help girls like myself to study, motivate them to go to school, and change their life for the better!", Pooja shares with a smile.
*name changed to protect the identity of the minor
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