VIKAS SANSTHAN

Ritu is a 12 years old girl. Her father Rajaram is no more and her mother Dhandevi heads the family. They live in Azadnagar slum area of Firozabad district, which is densely populated slum. Ritu has two brothers and three sisters. All family members including brothers and sisters are engaged in bangle work. All children never attended school due to their engagement in bangle work since their early childhood. All children got engaged in work as Ritu’s father died when she was three year old.

Elder brother of Ritu got married and they started living separately.  Now Ritu lives in rented house with her mother, brother and sister. The economic status of her families is not good. They all have migrated from Rakoli village of Agra district due to lack of means of livelihood in the village. All are living in difficult condition with water and sanitation problem. They also faced health problem because of work in bangle industry.

In this background, Vikas Sansthan workers visited her locality and saw that bangle work was being done only in Ritu’s home, where they were also living. This was a major cause of health problem of the family members. They requested Ritu’s mother to allow their children to study rather than engaging in the bangle work. This was not appreciated by her mothers. After counselling of many times by Vijkas Sansthan workers, her mother became ready to send her to non-formal education centre of Azadnagar.

Ritu joined NFE centre and studied up to class second there. After that she got admission in class 3 of the government primary school. Now she has got books and uniform from the government school. She has started reading, writing and counting. She also joined Children Parliament and she became aware of child rights and gender equity. Now she talks for educating boys and girls as well as generating awareness about health and hygiene issues for other families in the area. She is happy after being mainstreamed in the government school.