Phultara (14) grew up in a world where survival comes first, and if they’re lucky, dreams come second. As the eldest daughter in a family of seven, she had responsibilities far beyond her capacity and age.
Even though her parents worked tirelessly as daily wage laborers, their household needs far more help than that. Their earnings never made enough for them to live a stable and dignified life. With no farmland to rely on, Phultara and her mother often took on additional labor work just to put food on the table. In the mornings, when children would wake up early and grab their school bags to go to school, Phultara would pick up the broom to sweep the floor and the cooking spoon to make a warm meal for her siblings. She had no complaints about doing this, but deep inside, she longed to be just like those kids—if only education were a priority in her family.
One day, a friend told her about our Captivating Village Development Program, where we would help bridge the gap in her education through our Alternative Learning Program (ALP). It was designed in a way that could still incorporate her household duties with her alternative studies. She was excited and immediately decided that this program would help her, so she enrolled. In a supportive and engaging environment, she learned: Basic Literacy and Numeracy, Life skills and Problem-Solving skills as well as understood her rights, the importance of girls’ education, and how she could contribute to changing societal mindsets.
For the first time in her life, Phultura felt empowered and hopeful. She did not know she was capable of learning and understanding things that seemed foreign to her before. Education used to be something that felt far and impossible for her, a fantasy that never came into fruition. Now that it is part of her reality, she is not taking it for granted. She now helps her younger siblings with their studies and encourages other girls in her village to join ALP classes. Her parents saw it, too. Her glow and newfound confidence showed them that education is necessary for young girls like Phultura.
Phultara also expressed her gratitude to the project teams and claimed, “I used to see myself only in my responsibilities at home, but now I’ve realized I have many other skills to offer. Education is my strength, and I will never stop learning.”
She and her family express their endless thanks to our organization and our donors. If it weren’t for this opportunity, she would have struggled to see her potential beyond domestic roles. To people like them, to have a choice on its own would make a whole world of difference.
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