Pratham Education Foundation

Never too Cool for School

With this first story, we start our "Never Too Cool for School" series. Keep coming back to know more about these phenomenal women who have decided to go back to school after dropping out many years before. 

Pratham Open Schools (POS) are centres for girls that have dropped-out of school. The below success stories are of women who had dropped out of their regular schools and have now joined a Pratham Open School (in this case in Jaipur) to complete their education. While children and adults in school and university endlessly complain about academic pressure, some women we met have shown relentless dedication to educate themselves. Kindly read below for the remarkable stories of women who have had the conviction to overcome deaths of loved ones, financial crisis, dissaproval of family members etc. and have rejoined school. 

Meet Anjali Kumar Sen. 

Anjali left her education at the government school where she was studying, approximately 7 years ago. Her father had passed away. Things got pretty bad thereon. She had to return to her village so that she can support her family and help them through this crisis. They made ends meet because of her single minded drive to earn more money so that her family doesn't bear the brunt of this personal and financial setback. She proceeded to then work at a handloom organisation.  It was then that she came across Pratham and the work they were doing in making education an important and fun part of children's lives. It was at that point, that she realised that she needed to do her bit for children's education and in helping children understand how important it is for them to go to school, enjoy learning and complete their schooling. She has now worked with Pratham for 2 years. Somewhere along the way, Anjali started dreaming of a world where she could finish her education and have the capability to do more. When the Pratham Open School concept started and an urban centre was started in Jaipur, Anjali could not believe her luck. Anjali is now studying in the Pratham Open School, based in Jaipur and is in class 10. She hopes to finish her matriculation with Prathams help. 

Ask her what she wants to do after finishing school and pat comes her reply - "Why would i stop working with education? Education is so important in this world that we live in. I just hope that by completing my schooling, I can contribute more towards this cause, while still being able to provide for my family"

Pratham applauds women like Anjali. 

(Pictures and information courtesy Vaibhav Bharadwaj, a promising young photographer studying in the Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi Univarsity)