REKHA,
Delhi
Coming from a joint family from a small town in the state of Assam, her dreams came to an
end when she was asked to drop out of school to be a child bride. Lacking the essential
knowledge in terms of both education and job prospects, she felt lost and desolated. She shifted
with her husband and two kids in the capital city in search of employment and good education
for the children. She started working as a housemaid in the posh colony of Mukherjee Nagar, from
early morning hours till late night, adjoining her house in the slums. Her husband worked as a
helper in a shop with meager income which was not sufficient to provide a living for four in a family.
However, with passing years, it became difficult for her to pay attention to her kids affecting their health and studies. A chance to encounter with our Paras India coordinator gave her hope that all was not lost. She honed her skills by learning to stitch at our training centers (where we work for livelihood opportunities via skills enhancement like stitching, makeup artists, art and craft, food processing). Currently, she owns a boutique shop in her locality in Delhi. She is leading an independent life while supporting her family and providing her kids with a good education. She now earns about Rs. 3000 per month and mentors about 10 students like her who have dreams and aspirations of being self-independent.She is the leading example of how women can be financially self-sustainable despite adverse circumstances with little support from civil society.
“Paras India helped me realize my dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Today, I also want to help more women by making them aware of the need of today’s hour to become self-reliant.”
ANURADHA,
Delhi
“Namaste! My name is Anuradha.
I had to drop out of school due to financial constraints and work as a farm laborer.I was fifteen
years old when I got married. My husband worked as a daily wage worker in Kolkata film
industry. I lived with my in-laws then. After five years of marriage, my husband left his job in
Kolkata and we shifted to Delhi with my parents in the hope of a better life.
Today, we are a family of ten members consisting of my parents, my three younger sisters, my younger brother, my husband and our two children. My father is a carpenter, my husband is working with my father, my mother is a housewife, siblings and children are studying. Earlier, I used to be a housewife. But today, I am a successfully self-employed businesswoman.
With the help of Paras India, I was able to learn to stitch from USHA Silai School. Today, I teach the art of stitching clothes to a dozen women from our slum. Earlier, I lacked self-confidence, was an introvert and homely person; a housewife who cooked and looked after her family. I was docile to the ills in society.
From the time I have been with Paras India, has been a turning phase in my life. Now, I am aware of my rights, the truth behind superstitions, the importance of education and hygiene, diseases and their cure. I have been an active member of ‘Kishori committee’ of Paras India which arranges awareness session every month on different issues like menstrual hygiene, women rights, protection and prevention of diseases and empowerment. I feel lucky to be a part of such a transformative organization which has added a new dimension to my life. Thank you Paras India for your wisdom and support!”
SANGEETA,
Delhi
“Hello! My name is Sangeeta.
I live in Nand Lal Basti. 35 years ago, my parents came to Delhi in search of employment as our
village hardly had any options for employment. They stayed in this slum where we presently
reside. But the condition here was deplorable during the monsoon season when the water used
to sip in the houses. There were no toilets in the vicinity affecting the sanitation of the entire
community. The whole slum was bestowed upon open sewage which is nothing but sullied Yamuna River. The lack of sanitation leads to spread of diseases and virals much more frequently. The water from the sullied river used to fill up near our houses causing inhumane conditions. The unavailability of MCD water and electricity added to our burden. All the community people had to face many difficulties like deteriorating living conditions and the use of street lamp for the study of children. Due to all these conditions, I was not able to make it to school many times. It was a very crucial period in my life as I was soon going to sit for my board's exam.
Paras India came as a ray of hope to me and dealt with the issues of water, electricity, sanitation, and education. I was taught free by Paras India due to which I successfully passed my 10th board exams. Paras India believes in strengthening women and girls to have a stronghold in today’s world and is making efforts towards it. With the help of Paras India, I can speak confidently to anyone unlike before. With the help of Paras India, I got a job and have successfully climbed the first stair of my life. I have learned good values and understood the importance of being self-independent. I am now able to support my family and see a good future. I wish to join the police forces in my future life for which I m taking coaching from Paras India.
“Hello! My name is Meenu.
I live in the slum area of north Delhi called Nand Lal Basti.
My father came here from the rural outskirt of Uttar Pradesh 40 years ago after getting married.
He shifted here due to lack of employment opportunities in the village and the living conditions
were deplorable. He established a general stores shop in the slum to support the family and earn
a living. Back then, the habitability of this slum area was poor as there was no electricity, no viability
to safe drinking water and education was almost non-existent.
My family consists of 8 members consisting of 1 elder and 4 younger siblings and my parents. To bread, such a large family is a mammoth’s task. Due to the poor financial condition, I would not have been able to study further. Thanks to Paras India for becoming my bacon and showing me a path. Paras India has supported me throughout to pass my 12th board and helped me learn life skills. Due to their Immense support, I have managed to secure a handsome job and able to support my further studies and family financially. Due to association with Paras India, I have found a better version of myself and constantly try to learn and inculcate the most possible.
In the future, I want to be a school teacher and educate underprivileged children for a better future.”
SWAGLA,
Uttar Pradesh
“I belong to the tribal area of Nari village of Uttar Pradesh state Our clan followed wood gathering
occupation from the pre-independence era which my parents continued due to unavailability of
any another way of earning. We are a family of seven people I was seven years old when I started
working with my parents. I dropped out in 4th standard due to poor economic conditions.
We had no awareness on sanitation or cleanliness at home as we were always concerned about our one
time meal. Poverty made me a presumptuous box from where I never thought of coming out. My life after I joined Paras India is what I could never have dreamt of. I was identified by one of the field workers in PARAS India. He convinced my parents to let me stay in a girl’s hostel at Chirgaon in Uttar Pradesh. When I first came to Paras India, I was not confident; I was hesitant to communicate with anyone. This was because I was ashamed of being uneducated. Today, I am a confident, strong person who believes in aiming high in her life.
Paras India created fun activities to learn subjects like Science, Maths, History, etc which in turn created my interest in studies. At present, I am studying in class 10th and hope to achieve a better grade in my board exams. I wish to join the police forces in my future life.
The contribution of Paras India has been immense which I could not depict in words. Thank you Paras India!”
RAKHI ,
Uttar Pradesh
“My name is Rakhi. My native place is Nari of Uttar Pradesh. My father and mother are laborers.
I have one younger sister. Due to our poor economic condition, my father sent me and my
sister to our maternal uncle’s house to manage expenses. They found it very difficult to support
our education and decided to get us married soon.
One fine day, the team of Paras India came to our village Nari asking for girls who want to pursue
education. My father saw an opportunity, he wanted us to study and do well in our life. The team go
t us admitted to their resident school for girls at Chirgaon. Since that day, I see a lot of positive changes in my life. My sister is studying with me. I successfully passed my 9th standard exam and presently in my 10th standard. I have participated in various cultural festivals, science fair, and sports meet. I was fortunate to go for an exposure visit to Delhi and explore India Gate, Raj Ghat and Parliament house. My personality has gone through total transformation for which I adhere my thanks to Paras India. Today, I am able to use a computer and participate in various activities such as Yoga, rangoli making, arts and craft, Mehendi designing and many more. I feel blessed and above the world. I believe that with persistence, conviction and with the help of PARAS India, I will be able to realize my dream of becoming a police officer. “
MUSKAAN,
Delhi
“I live with my family in the slum area of Delhi. Born in a conservative Muslim family, I always
saw my mother facing harsh verbal abuse from my grandmother. We are five siblings. I am the
oldest. My younger sisters and brother are very dear to me. My father is a plumber by profession
and mother is a Silai school teacher under Paras India.
I have been associated with Paras India for six years. Today, I study in class 6th and make it to the
top list in my school. My grandmother is now proud of me. She doesn’t see me and my sister as a
liability now; rather she adores all of us now. All this has become possible due to strong backing from NGO Paras India. It has truly proven to be the torchbearer for my entire family. I have been a part of E-SHISHYA program wherein we learn English through different interactive hangout sessions from our mentor. My mentor is a scientist in ISRO; she has helped me with my hesitation in the English language. Paras India has been there in my highs and low. Today, I have grown up as a confident individual in a society with good manners and a strict regime of the disciple. I aim to serve my country by joining the civil services as an IAS. I make full utilization of library and internet at the education center in Paras India towards bringing my aim to reality.
Thank you Paras India for becoming my beacon!”
RIYA
Delhi
“ Hello, my name is Riya.
I live in the slum area in the capital city of Delhi. My father is a daily wage laborer at a box
making factory and mother works as a housemaid. The health of my father is in a very bad shape
because of his past work in a hazardous factory. So it has become difficult for him to work on a
regular basis thus affecting the income of the family. My father never had sufficient finances to take
care of all our needs, the worst affected was my schooling.
Paras India has been running free education classes in our locality. When my parents knew about it, they got me admitted here. I was weak in subjects like English and Math. I did not have the basic understanding of words before I came here. Now, I can read English textbook and understand it. Different programs are held here like Republic day celebration, Awareness week, Yoga day and many extracurricular activities are taken. I am now able to run a computer on my own. I along with my friends enjoy making arts and craft in summer camp. We play games like chess and carom. All these activities involve a lot of fun with learning. Sometimes, guests visit our education center who include IAS officers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc and share their piece of knowledge which inspire me in many ways. I am blessed to have such a creative learning environment. Thank you Paras India!”
NISHA
Delhi
“My parents had a child marriage. We are a family of nine members. We are seven siblings with
six sisters and one brother.My parents used to live earlier in a small town of Gorakhpur
district of Uttar Pradesh state. They moved to Delhi when the family nuisances back at home
started growing. My parents settled in the Jhuggi of Nand Lal slum and started earning their
bread and butter. My father used to work as a carpenter. One day, after a mishap at work, my
father got admitted to the hospital. Those days were very crucial as a source of income got hit. Mr. A. K.
Singh from Paras India visited our house and offered a job position to my sister in Paras India. Slowly and steadily, things came on the track, didi started working as a community worker. She continued her studies and taught all the siblings. I have been associated with Paras India since past six years. Earlier, I had stage fear, which got away with interesting extracurricular activities from Paras India. I participated in various cultural festivals, science exhibitions, and rallies under the umbrella of Paras India. It gave us awareness on various government schemes, one of such was Pradhanmantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana(PMKVY). Today, I am pursuing a vocational course on computer hardware under PMKVY. Because of PARAS, I got involved in various competitions outside Delhi and got an opportunity to explore the cultures of other states. I want to be an administrative officer in the future. I am enrolled in competitive exam classes conducted by Paras India. In competitive classes, we meet with IAS, IPS officers from all over India and seek their guidance.
Thank you Paras India!”
Nikita,
Intern at Education Center, Delhi
“True happiness comes when we serve our Nation. It happened to me when Paras India gave me
an opportunity to teach the future generation at Slum area of North Delhi. At first, I thought that
working in NGOs is not worthy but Paras India changed this view of me regarding NGOs. Working
as an intern for a month in this organization made me realize more about myself and my
capabilities. When I taught children here, I felt motivated. The grin of those children make me fill
with awe and wonder. It is a great initiative taken by Paras India for underprivileged students.
I loved working under the guidance of Mr. Anand and Miss Mayuri as they were kind and helpful
towards me. I love working with Nisha and Suman didi. The students participated in different activities in a summer camp with full zeal and candor. I want to thank Mr. A.K.Singh, the founder of Paras India for providing me an opportunity to work with the underprivileged section of society.”
