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| She resides in a tribal community which has subsisted on field & forest labour for generations and where educating girls is not even considered important. Her parents are barely educated and make a living by cultivating a 2-acre land which does not yield enough. Despite these adversities, she's an exam topper scoring 96.6% in her Class 5 district board exams. She is now a source inspiration for her community members including children and adults alike. |
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Varsha Watti, a Nanhi Kali, is a first-generation learner. Though her parents have studied till Class 5, when it comes to counting money in the market they rely only on their daughter. Varsha became associated with the Nanhi Kali program 3 years back when she was in Class 2. Since then, just like all other Nanhi Kalis, she has been receiving both academic & material support such as books, uniforms, school bag. |
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| "What Varsha could not have imagined four years earlier, she now believes is possible" M.S. Kansari, Nanhi Kali project coordinator |
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| By passing with flying colours, Varsha has not just made her parents proud but has also set an example for her school friends. She is now aiming higher - to become a doctor when she grows up. Neither a nurse, nor a teacher - but a doctor. And her father is more than happy to let her follow her dreams. |
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| What makes us at Nanhi kali happy is that today traditional gender roles are being reconsidered. Communities who looked down upon a girl child as a liability are now acknowledging them as an asset to the family. "I see no difference between my boy and my girl," says Mr. Watti, Varsha's father. "She can become a doctor, an engineer, and she can even become a Prime Minister." |
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| Another significant impact of Project Nanhi Kali is that several village education committees have sprung up to ensure that all children attend school. As a result, school attendance in Kanker district has risen to 98.5%. |