Ranjana balances her last year of graduation studies with her tailoring skills, earning Rs 3,000 a month, critical for her family of five. This is not a mean feat for a girl in a remote village of Chandauli district. She would have been like just another girl in this rather backward area but for her association with Manav Sewa Kendra Child Fund International Project.
About 15 years ago, Ranjana was enrolled with the project when she was five years old. Her parents were motivated to ensure her studies. She began to her journey at the balwadi centre (pre-primary school) run by the project in her village. She quickly learnt children’s songs, poems, stories and counting. She took keen interest playing games. At balwadi physical and mental development took place. As a result, she turned into a physically strong girl with good manners.
Next year Ranjana was admitted to Class I of primary school. She and her parents regularly participated in the project activities, kindling flame of betterment of life through education. She passed class V and move to junior high school from where she passed class VIII. For further studies, she was admitted to class IX in an intermediate college situated 3 km away from her village. After passing class XII she got admission in BA.
While she was progressing academically during all these years, her soft skills capacities were being developed by the project. She was an active member of children’s group and then adolescent girls’ group. During numerous discussions, she was motivated to study as much as she could and acquire vocational training. While studying in BA, she attended three-month training on tailoring from April to June 2021. Now she can sew simple clothes and earn almost Rs 3,000 per month.
Seeing her talent, the project selected Ranjana as peer educator. She is working as peer educator in two villages. She is a confident girl deeply aware of issues like anaemia, child marriage and family planning.