We are building a world in which every girl can thrive - no matter where she lives, no matter what her background. We have reached nearly 3,000 girls with critical education and life skills programs that are now changing the course of their futures. Meet some of these inspiring girls who are uplifting themselves, their families, and their communities despite impossible odds.
Girls’ Stories
Age: 16
From: Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh
Center: Center for Social Service
“For the first few summers that I was living here in CSS my uncle would request that I go and stay with him and his family for vacation. However, I never forgot what he did to me and I made the choice to stay here, now this is my home.”
BACKGROUND: Devi lives at the Center for Social Service (CSS), a partner of Commit2Change. CSS is based on the outskirts of the city of Hyderabad in Telangana. Devi is from a small village in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. Devi’s mother died and their father deserted them, leaving Devi and her sister in the care of their uncle. Devi’s sister is intellectually disabled. At her uncle’s house, Devi and her sister were treated unkindly. At the age of 8, her uncle sent Devi to the city of Hyderabad. Devi did not understand where she was going or why, but when she arrived, her uncle told her she would be living there as a maid/babysitter to his family. He told her she should behave. She was scared and confused. Luckily for Devi, this family realized what her uncle had done and immediately started looking for a home to bring her.
TODAY: What they found was CSS, a home for underprivileged girls. Upon entering into CSS, she notified her uncle and had him bring her sister. She is now 16 years old and has not gone back to the village since. When you hear her story you might not think that this young girl smiling back at you has been through so much trauma, but she is strong beyond her years. Today Devi is studying on a science track in school. Her hope is to become a doctor so that one day she can help people like her sister live a better life.
BACKGROUND: Manisha lives in the Arusha home, a hostel run by the organization Salaam Bank Trust in New Delhi, India. When she was little, she was left on the side of the road by her young mother. She was picked up by a social worker and taken miles away to a convent home in Gurgaon, a suburb outside of Delhi. At the convent home, Manisha noticed that the sisters all spoke English to one another, so she asked to be taught the language, taking weekly lessons. She also learned the value of education - that it allows you to better yourself and gain respect. For someone with little sense of belonging, this was key. When Manisha turned 16 she was shuffled out of the convent home and into Salaam Baalak Trust. Here, her perfect English helped her grasp new information and rise to the top of her class.
TODAY: At Salaam Baalak Trust, Manisha is sponsored by Commit2Change. The sponsorship has allowed her to attend a private secondary high school to continue her studies. When asked how Commit2Change has helped her she states, “Because I am living here at Salaam Baalak Trust, I am lucky enough to be sponsored by Commit2Change and take tuition classes. This will give me the opportunity to better myself in the future and attend a good college where I can study business.”
Age: 18
From: Firozpur, Punjab
Center: Salaam Baalak Trust
Age: 18
From: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Center: Seva Sadan
BACKGROUND: Leena lives at Seva Sadan Society. She came to Seva Sadan when she was 10 years old, following her two older sisters’ footsteps. Leena’s mother, a disadvantaged widow with three daughters, calls Seva Sadan a gift. As Leena quotes, “My mother’s biggest concern was the safety and opportunity of her daughters and by finding Seva Sadan she had these worries taken care of.”
TODAY: Leena has been sponsored to attend the prestigious Sofia Polytechnic School for Art and Design based on her talent and good marks. Leena accredits her success to Seva Sadan and Commit2Change. “They saw my passion for art and gave me classes to help my interest. I was nominated to be sponsored to attend the Polytechnic Program. I would never have thought I could be at this level before coming here.” This sponsorship has afforded Leena the opportunity to prepare for jobs such as graphic designer, advertiser and draftsman. She aspires to be a graphic designer for an advertising firm in Mumbai.
BACKGROUND: Tulsi is in 9th grade and hails from the Mumbai suburb of Bandra. She lives at the Seva Sadan, a shelter home. Tulsi was born in Pune, Maharashtra. Her parents moved to Mumbai soon after her birth to better their lives, into a small home in a slum community near Bandra. Her father took up work as a driver. When Tulsi was just a year old, her parents separated and she was left with her father. She has not seen or heard from her mother since. The early years of Tulsi’s life were spent solely with her aunt while her father worked away from home. Around the age of 8, Tulsi’s aunt found caring for her too much and found a home to put her in: Seva Sadan. “I wanted to study more and no one was home to take care of me,” she says. “I really liked English but was not doing well so my aunt found out about Seva Sadan and she took me there.”
TODAY: Tulsi has been at Seva Sadan ever since and she has excelled in all her subjects. She is sponsored by Commit2Change. She enjoys Math in particular and has learned an immense amount through the C2cC Tech Lab. Her wish is that she can go to school and study math or science. She is interested in becoming a banker.
Age: 14
From: Bandra, Maharashtra
Center: Seva Sadan
Her story is unfinished and her future is in your hands.
The power of education is limitless. Make a lasting impact on the lives of girls like Devi, Manisha, Leena, and Tulsi by making a gift today.