Hiren hails from Jharkheda village, in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district. He has completed education till 10th grade through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with the support of Pratham's program for children with disabilities. We met him in Bhopal in 2017 when NIOS had organised a drawing competition, and Hiren was one of the participants.

Hiren

Hiren acquired polio when he was very young, and his future became a matter of concern for his family members. His parents work as daily wage labourers, and hence, the family has always faced the problem of earning a minimum income. Hiren tried to help them in his own capacity but nurtured a dream since a very young age. He wanted to become a manager. The idea of an office, a table and a chair always excited him. That was his idea of a manager.

Hiren attended the government school in his village and studied till 9th grade. However, in a tragic turn of events, his elder brother passed away, and Hiren had to bear the responsibility of the family. Unable to cope up with this pressure, Hiren failed in class, and lost confidence in further pursuing education. He remained out of school for the next five years until Pratham's team members approached him and his family and updated them about the program. He was assigned a home tutor facility, and Deshraj Ahirwar was appointed as his tutor. 

Deshraj Ahirwar

The partnership of Hiren and Deshraj was very productive and helpful for the former. Hiren not only enjoyed learning but also got back to drawing and painting, a hobby he had developed since childhood. Deshraj and the entire team of Pratham encouraged Hiren to draw and paint, and hence he could participate in the competition at Bhopal. His parents were also happy about the home tutor facility, as they believe that education will transform Hiren's life and eventually, the family's lifestyle.
As we appreciated Hiren's painting and asked him about his plans ahead, he reiterated his dream of becoming a manager. He passed the 10th-grade examination in 2018, and we are sure he will accomplish his goal one day. 

"I dropped out of school as the high school was far, and I could not afford a daily trip. While there was a private school nearby, the fees were very high."



Kajal Upadhyay lives in Sutar khedi village, located in the Mhow block of Madhya Pradesh's Indore district. Her primary schooling took place at the government school in her village, and for the reasons mentioned above, she discontinued her studies. Her family members - both mother and father - work as labourers and their income is sufficient to meet only the basic needs of the family. Kajal accepted this fact and discontinued her studies. But deep down in her mind, there was a desire to complete her studies. "I was attracted to the police force, but as I dropped out of school, my confidence levels dipped. It was as if there was no opportunity to grow", she says.

Hence, when she met a representative from Pratham who informed her about the Second Chance program, there was first a moment of disbelief for her. Is there such an opportunity? And will I be able to complete my education till 10th grade? These were the initial thoughts in Kajal's mind when she first heard about the program. But she thanks the Pratham team for an effective counselling which ultimately convinced her, and she joined the program.

"The village where I stay is conservative. However, my parents supported me in this decision", she says. Kajal soon adapted to the program, and in a few weeks, she became a part of it. "In my school, the teachers used to teach very little, and a large part was given as homework. Most of us did not understand anything, and we lagged behind. However, here we study in groups, and it was the most helpful thing. The teachers at the centre taught well, answered all our questions and hence we did not face any difficulty in our homework", she says.

With the help of her teachers, her fellow classmates and more importantly, with all her efforts, Kajal passed the 10th-grade examination in 2015, after a gap of two years. "My confidence is back", she says. She sees a complete transformation in herself as now she feels there are opportunities ahead. "My parents also now know that there are multiple options ahead, and I have a qualification to pursue any of them. But now I am confident that I can join the police force or the army. It is wonderful that passing an examination could do so much to me."

Kajal has now learned to browse the internet, and she now uses it to gather information about the entrance examinations required for joining the police force. Her next academic target is 12th grade, and that also seems easily achievable. "I run every morning, follow it with physical exercises and then study for my 12th grade. I am confident that both the outcomes, passing 12th grade and joining the army or the police force, are easily achievable. And I thank the 10th-grade milestone for the change and confidence in me", she says with a smile. 

"My mother-in-law was the biggest support, and I cannot thank her enough." Nainaben begins narrating her story. As she describes it further, we realise how crucial was her mother-in-law's support in making her what she is today. Nainaben passed her 10th-grade examination in 2017, and she had dropped out of school way back in 2004. But when she decided to enrol in Pratham's Second Chance program, she had to face two major hurdles - her husband and her father-in-law.



But Naina's mother-in-law wanted her to study again, and she had an innovative idea in mind to convince the two of them. "She told my father-in-law that my husband wanted me to study ahead. And she said to my husband that my father-in-law felt that I should complete my studies till 10th-grade. She ensured that they did not change their mind till I wrote my exams", she chuckles. But things were not easy for Naina. She had to adjust her schedule at home and balance it with her studies.

"I changed my schedule completely. I became an early riser and began my day revising what was taught the previous day. It was followed by household chores. But my mother-in-law ensured that I never missed my class", says Naina. However, as studies became intense, and the date of examination appeared closer, her participation at home became lesser. It led to frustration, as both, her husband and her father-in-law felt that Naina was not paying enough attention at home. But again, her mother-in-law acted like a glue and held the family together. She also mentions the 'Life Skills' taught in class and credits the subject for helping her plan her schedule.

Naina felt relieved when she passed the 10th-grade examination. Her parents were agriculture labourers, and they insisted that she should look after her younger siblings, and made her drop out of school. But she got a 'Second Chance' in life twelve years later, and she thanks Pratham and her mother-in-law for the same. With renewed aspirations, she wants to study ahead and help her children in their studies. "I can now operate a computer and a smartphone. It is my biggest gain", she says with a smile.

What next for Nainaben, we ask, and she smiles widely in response. "My husband is a policeman. He once told me that I would never complete my 10th-grade. I proved him wrong. Now, I want to study ahead, join the police force and walk a step ahead", she says. We wish Nainaben all the best in her future endeavours.   

Nisha Shukla and Preeti Shukla are sisters, and both live in Indore. Their story is one of the most unique stories of Pratham's Second Chance Program. No, they did not give their 10th-grade examination together. Neither were they in the same batch and hence they did not study together. But today both work and are happy that they could get back to studies because of the program, a thing they had not imagined some years ago!

Preeti Shukla (left) and Nisha Shukla.

Preeti had studied till 9th-grade, but became ill and owing to health issues did not complete her 10th-grade. She lost interest, and for the next three years, she was away from studies. However, a friend told her about the Second Chance and to quote her, 'it appeared interesting.' She sensed that there was a chance to complete education till 10th-grade and hence acquire the primary degree to be eligible for certain job opportunities. Preeti confesses that learning in a group made her understand many things and she still recalls those discussions with her friends. She further admits that such a discussion made her bold and confident and she passed her 10th-grade examination in 2016. "English and Math were my favourite subjects, and I also liked the activity of painting", she says. The one year spent at the centre was so transforming for Preeti that she overcame her initial shyness, and went on to complete a computer course from ITI (Industrial Training Institute) and also completed a course in beauty techniques.

Preeti's elder sister Nisha was observing the former's journey. She was a housewife. As she watched Preeti, she recalled that she also had not completed her 10th-grade and had got married in some years after leaving school. All these years she had lost hope, but Preeti's journey made her renew it afresh! After many sessions thinking about it, Nisha too decided to take the plunge and enrolled herself for the Second Chance program. "I had lost touch, and the teachers here taught me as if I was a primary school student. Such was their dedication and patience", she says. This was one year after Preeti passed her 10th-grade. Nisha's initial goal was to pass 10th-grade and then secure a job. However, she got a job immediately after passing the exam, and this was in 2017. "I am now planning to study till 12th-grade, but time is a constraint", she admits with a smile.

The sisters are happy that they could share their story with us. As we drink tea prepared by their mother, Preeti says, "I really thank the Second Chance program for this turnaround in life." Nisha says the same thing but also adds a few more words. "I really thank the Second Chance Program. And I also thank my sister for inspiring me to achieve this." 

Hemi ben Chauhan passed the 10th-grade examination last year. For someone who opted to become a student after fifteen years since leaving school, this was a special moment! She now pursues a computer course from an Industrial Training Institute and is eager to share her story when we meet her at her house. We are at Bhojpara village in Gujarat's Rajkot district.



"I will always thank the lady whom I met when she visited our village", she begins. A woman - an ASHA worker - had come to visit her village. As their conversation progressed, she told Hemi ben that she got this job after passing the 10th-grade examination. "That was my motivation", she says.

"I failed in 10th-grade and seeing no future ahead, my parents decided that I should get married." After marriage, she came to live in Bhojpara and to say in her words she was 'leading a good life.' Unfortunately, her husband died, and it made her think of doing something. As the days passed, she felt lonelier, and a job was her only motivation. But she soon realised that she lacked the basic qualification for a job, and hence completing 10th-grade examination seemed the only way out. "Hence, I thank that woman. It is because of her I decided to enrol myself to the class", she says. And in this way, she became a part of the Second Chance program.

"I was the eldest in the class. And I was the only one who wore a saree", she recalls. Hemi ben admits that it was difficult to sit in a class with so many young girls around her. She also confesses that it was intimidating. And despite full support from home, she wondered if the next steps would be easy. "But I was a regular student. I ensured that my attendance was 100%." As the days progressed, she opened up. Owing to the activities, group-work and presentations, Hemi ben began to gain confidence. Out of them, her favourite was learning in groups. "In a group, you can share your views and also carefully understand what others have to say", she adds. However, the biggest takeaway for Hemi ben was the fact that she could speak in public.

Apart from the computer course, Hemiben takes up stitching assignments, and that is her contribution to the family income. Her father-in-law drives the rickshaw, and her mother-in-law helps her in household work. "Girls of today are lucky that they have supportive parents", she says. "They are more free and confident than us. Hence, I want to thank this program. It made me what I am now, and ensured that there are opportunities ahead."

Ajra Shaikh passed the 10th-grade examination in 2018, after a gap of 13 years, and with it, she came closer to her dream of studying and what she says in Hindi - "Kuch Karna Hain" ("I want to do something in life.") We met Ajra in December 2017, when she was attending the 10th grade classes at Pratham's 'Second Chance' program's centre in Bhopal.  The Second Chance program provides an opportunity for girls and women who drop out of school due to various reasons and offers them a platform to complete education till 10th grade. Once they clear 10th grade, a lot of opportunities open up - they can study further, or work somewhere (or get promoted at an existed workplace) or even help their children in their studies.



The first thing Ajra shares with us is her childhood. "My studies stopped in 2005, and I got married when I was only 13", she begins. "In fact, my marriage took place much before my elder sister's, and my parents were not bothered to know what my husband was doing for a living." After marriage, she had to adjust to the new house which was a joint family. But owing to the differences with other members, her husband decided that they will live separate. Both of them moved to a new locality in Bhopal, and soon Ajra was to find out that it would provide her with the trigger to change her mind and build a resolve that she would get back to studies.

"I met Rubina, and we became friends. While talking to her, I realised that she was living alone and her husband did not like that she studied. But she chose to follow her dreams and risked living alone. Meanwhile, I used to observe many working women who were independent and also managed their house. I felt that I should also be like them", she narrates. Then once Ajra asked Rubina from where did she complete her 10th-grade studies. "She then told me about the Second Chance program", she says.

The next task was to convince her husband. "He was not ready to listen!" Ajra recalls the conservative nature of her husband who refused to send her to classes as she would have to talk to boys and men. But, there was hope! Ajra found out that one of the teachers at the centre was her sister's friend. She then arranged his meeting with her husband, but despite this, her husband remained adamant. Finally, I shouted, " I will leave you, but I will study!" My sister supported me and even paid the fees.

While leaving the centre, we asked her if she had thought of anything after 10th grade. "No", she said. "I will think and then take a decision. But I am sure I will do something better in life. I have seen women work and in many cases, they are much ahead than their husbands. I begged and quarrelled at home to reach here. And I am sure that this is just a beginning."    

"I studied till 9th grade, and that was way back in 1994. My parents and people around me were of the opinion that I should help my mother in household work and then get married." Geetanjali Sahu narrates her story as we listen to her at her house in Laxmanpalli village, in Odisha's Ganjam district. She smiles at our colleague and tells him in Odiya that she is thrilled that someone from Mumbai has come to hear her story. "But I had the desire to study further," she continues. 

Vidya Tupe is one of the many women who has benefited from Pratham's Second Chance Program at Satara in Maharashtra. "I was a housewife and did not work anywhere for the first eight years after my marriage. People from Pratham came to our house and asked if my cousin sister wanted to get back to school and complete 10th grade. She had dropped out as well", she recalls. When she heard about the program while it was explained to her sister, she gathered interest and decided to enrol herself for classes. 



There are many reasons why girls drop out of school. In some villages, the distance to reach school (for higher grades) is high, and families do not risk sending their daughter for safety reasons. Early marriage is another reason that forces girls to leave school and migrate to a different place. Pratham's classroom in Satara consist of many such women - poverty, failure in 9th grade, early marriage, lack of attention in school, fear of subjects like Math and English, the reasons are many! Owing to a rise in the construction activities in Satara, many labourer families migrate to the city, and girls and elderly women from these families also enrol themselves in this program and complete their education till 10th grade. Like all of them, Vidya has her story to share.

"I was scared of English and Math. English was still ok, but Math was horrible", she laughs as she recalls her school days. "My family sensed that I was not showing any interest in studies and decided that I should get married. I got married in 2005, and this became my city", she says. Vidya hails from Panvel, a city in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. She became a student at the Second Chance program in 2014, eleven years after leaving school. "Satara was a new city for me. I did not interact much with people, and hence I was not confident of speaking in public. I did not talk to anyone in my class for the first couple of months. But I was able to realise that the teaching method here was different, and I soon developed a liking for it. It was point-wise and covered basic principles. I understood that I was solving the practice papers easily. Moreover, the teachers here paid attention, and it was not like school where only the first few benches were attended."

Vidya admits that she did not have a clear goal of what she would do after passing 10th grade. Women like her join the program so that they can start working. For some girls, private tuitions demand fees that are unaffordable. Some women who work in Anganwadis eye a promotion at their workplace after completing 10th grade. "I cleared my 10th grade in 2015, and I decided to give the MS-CIT examination. While interacting with people, I realised that I was speaking comfortably. I realised that I had changed! One year at the Second Chance program had transformed me, and the change happened unknowingly", she says, with a twinkle in her eyes.       

After completing the course, Vidya gave an interview for Maharashtra Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM) for the district of Satara, and she currently heads all the four blocks of the region. "I later came to know that my co-applicants were women who had passed 12th grade or even MSW graduates. But my confidence enabled my selection! How can I not thank Pratham for this transformation in me?" Vidya works from the Satara office for the first ten days of the month, and she has to travel to the Mahabaleshwar office daily for the remaining days. She thanks her husband who stood by her when she took the decision of becoming a student again. Her mother-in-law was opposed to the decision, but she has now happily accepted a changed and transformed Vidya.
 
Vidya's next goal is to apply for a job at Satara Municipal Corporation and work in the administration department. And with the experience gained in these years, she is confident of a positive outcome. 

Pratima immediately takes the pose of Krishna for the dance, smiling and making dance moves like a practised performer. I wonder, how she interprets the music and beats when she can’t listen but watching her dance I realise, she doesn’t need to.

Pratima's face lights up after presenting her own version of Radha Krishna dance.

"Me tyanna business madhye madat karat hote, pan mala swatah kahitari karaycha hota" (I was helping my husband in the family business, but I wanted to do something on my own), Padmini begins her story in Marathi. We are at the Second Chance centre at Koregaon near Satara in Maharashtra, and it is a break from classes. Padmini emphasises that though she helped her husband in the family business, her role was confined to doing ordinary things in the office.



For Padmini Tai, the eldest in the batch, this was not an easy decision. However, there was an urge in her to establish an identity, and do something that would be her's! "My husband opposed this, but my inspiration was my children. Padmini's elder daughter works in Mumbai, while her younger daughter is a clerk in a Bank. Her son studies at Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Patan. "I felt that I also should do something like them", she says. However, she did not know that she could get an opportunity to complete her 10th-grade examination. It was only when some members of the Pratham team came to her place, she became aware of the possibility.

But she was still sceptical about taking the next step and enrolling for the class. "My husband was not in favour of me studying again. And though I was initially excited, I felt scared at the time of taking a decision. For the first time, I was taking a decision myself. All these years people at home used to assist, and it used to be a joint decision", she says. Many women in Pratham's 'Second Chance' Program face this dilemma. But ultimately, a strong will overcomes fear and confusion and thus begins a journey that finally results in a positive transformation. Padmini has started on this journey this year, and she is excited about it.

"For the first two days, I observed the class to get used to it. However, I liked it. I immediately felt that despite my gap of 36 years, I will fit in. Since then it has been excellent. I am delighted to be here", she continues the story. Padmini spent her childhood in Pusegaon village in the Khatav block of Satara district. After marriage, she came to Koregaon and became so busy with family matters that she could not continue her studies.

"The teachers are very supportive here. My lessons started with revising basic concepts, and now I feel I am on track and I am able to understand what they teach here", she says. Padmini says she is learning a lot from the younger girls of the batch. "The young girls found it difficult to talk to me at the start of our batch. Age was a factor. But in the next few weeks, we developed a friendship, and now we talk to each other like classmates. Whatever is taught in class, they grasp quickly, while we take some time. In such a situation, they then help us understand the concept."

Padmini has opened up and now participates in group discussion and frequently asks questions. The teachers at the centre feel happy and appreciate the change in her. Group learning, they say, has ensured this change in her. In fact, Padmini feels that group learning makes us think and generate ideas, and it has helped us a lot. She is surprised that the subjects she feared in school and later, are her favourite subjects, and she is learning them without any fear.

"Math and English are my favourite subjects, and I can't believe that they used to scare me in school. In fact, I have developed a feeling in me that I can pass these exams and clear my 10th grade. I never got such a feeling when I was in school", she adds. Padmini has decided that she will pass the 10th-grade examination next year, and if her marks are good, she plans to study further and apply for a job. This, she says, will make her a contributing member of the family, and she is looking forward to this day with renewed hope and enthusiasm. We wish Padmini all the best, and we are sure she will pass her 10th-grade examination with flying colours!

Mangal Navle had to drop out of school in 2002. She grew up in Harpalwadi village, in the Karad taluka of Maharashtra's Satara district. The school in her village offered education only till the 8th grade, and the school for higher grades was at a village very far from her's. This, coupled with some family problems made her leave education, and she got married four years later, in 2006.



"I am lucky that my husband supported me in education", she begins. Mangal's husband had also not completed education till 10th grade. He attended night school and then insisted that Mangal should also do the same. However, night school was not a good option for her, and they both began looking for a place that would offer her a chance to get back to education. But there was a problem.

"I was terrified of school", Mangal says with a smile. "In fact, I was scared of my teachers in my previous school. They always used to scold us, and that was etched in my mind. I was also scared of Science and Maths." Hence, despite her husband's support and encouragement, she was not ready to start her studies again. Finally, after a lot of discussions at home, Mangal joined Pratham's Second Chance Program at the Kodoli centre in Satara. This was in 2013, 11 years after quitting school in 2002.

"I was very quiet in class for the first couple of months. I used to remember my primary school and feel scared, but later I started to realise that this was different", Mangal recalls. "The way of teaching was different here. The teachers were accommodative and not selective to a few students like in my previous school. In fact, I began liking Science and Math, the subjects I once hated." She then recalls the many memories associated with the class and the friends she made over there. "There were many young girls in our batch, and we used to get intimidated while talking to them. But these differences vanished once we started learning in groups. We all became good friends", she says.

As our conversation progresses ahead, Mangal tells us about the attachment with her teachers."We were lucky to have these teachers. I remember I had a doubt in a Math sum, and sir explained it more than fifteen times! Hence we all were very emotional on the last day of class, as our association with sir and madam had come to an end."

Mangal passed her 10th-grade examination in 2014. She joined a course in Beauty and completed both the basic and advanced levels of certification. She now takes up beauty assignments and contributes to the family income. In addition to this, she also completed her education till 12th-grade and learned to operate a computer. She attributes this to Pratham's Second Chance program as that was the turning point in her life. "I want to share all this with my 10th-grade classmates, and hence I feel our batch should have a reunion", she smiles as we end the conversation. 

Kajal Senma lives in Palavasna village, which is 5 km from Mehsana in Gujarat. She discontinued her studies after passing the 8th-grade examination. Like many other villages in Gujarat, the school for the 9th and 10th grade was very far from her village, and with no public transport available, it was impossible to travel daily to school. Hence there was no other option, but to quit. This was two years back. 

Aarti Thakur, who passed her 10th-grade examinations in 2015 has an interesting story to share. A confident girl since her childhood, she performed well in her school and had pinned her dreams of becoming a graduate and enter the police force. 

"I was enrolled in modern high school, and I studied there till the 9th grade", she begins her story. "But I had to drop out of school because of my mother's illness." It not only applied brakes to her goals but also resulted in her deviation from studies to household chores and domestic responsibilities. As there was no other option and as her services were required at home, Aarti accepted this new role in her life. However, she became worried as her gap after dropping out of school now included one more year. She was now out of school for two years! 





"I was worried and constantly thought about this two years gap. Will it never allow me to get back to studies?" It was very natural for Aarti to think this way, as she did not know of any option of getting back to studies. And hence when two girls in her village updated her about Pratham's Second Chance program, she was delighted! 

"It was not that I was scared. I am a confident person, and I can present myself with ease. But the gap of two years weighed on my mind", she admits. She immediately enrolled herself in the program and thus began her journey with Pratham. But some thoughts continued to linger in her mind. Will I be able to cope up with my studies? What if I fail? Will I understand concepts after a two years gap? However, she admits that there were two things in the program that inspired her the most. 

"I noticed that many women had a gap of more than ten years but still wanted to continue their education. If they could get back to studies, why couldn't I? And then there was the way of teaching", she elaborates. 

Aarti felt that the syllabus being taught was very easy to understand, and she credits it to the way of teaching at the centre, and also to learning in the group. The latter, she feels, made her more confident and also made her understand the concept better. "When I clear someone's doubt, I end up understanding the thing even better", she says.  

This confidence helped her clear the 10th-grade exam, after which she worked at Abhishek Trident for a year. She followed it by working for Lumax, a car accessories company at Delhi for one and half years. Though she came back to Jabalpur to honour some family commitments, she is eager to start working. She is also keen to start preparing for the next step in life - clearing the 12th-grade exams. 
"My parents are labourers, and I now want them to rest at home. The time is ripe for me to run the house and serve them", she ends our conversation with a smile. 



  

"We were a family of five sisters, and hence our parents' priority was to marry us as quickly as possible", Sunita begins her story as we ask about her journey with Pratham's Second Chance program. We are in her home at Kabirpur village in the Jajpur district of Odisha. "I had to discontinue my education and eventually got married", she recalls.

Sunita became busy with household chores and followed the typical routine of managing the house. But did she feel that she should have completed education, at least till 10th grade? "Yes, I had that feeling deep inside my mind, but as the years passed by, I lost hope that I could get back to studies. How can someone get back to school after so many years?" But like many women of Pratham's Second Chance program who get back to school after a long gap, she too experienced a decision-making moment.



"When my son experienced difficulties in his studies, I realised that I was unable to help him. It bothered me very much and that is where I thought I should get back to studies", she says. Around the same time, Pratham's team was in her village, and she became aware of the Second Chance Program. "I was delighted to know about this program. Some of my relatives used to taunt me for not have completed 10th-grade. I now could give them a perfect answer! Also, I wanted to help my son with his studies", she says with a smile.

But the entry to the program was not easy. Her family members and more importantly, her husband was not ready for this change in her life. Her relatives and in-laws felt that this was going to be a time-waster. And the most challenging thing was that she was getting back to studies after 16 long years! Yes, she dropped out of school in 1998 and enrolled herself for the program in 2014.

"In those days we had to travel to the centre and stay there for a week. My husband used to call me frequently, and he intended to trouble me and distract me. But I did not backtrack", she explains further. But there was something else that cheered her up and ensured that she was motivated to continue her studies and that were her batchmates!

"I made new friends, and my inspiration was seeing them study and work hard. As the class progressed, my confidence increased. The best part of my classroom was learning in groups. But for the first four to five months, I was shy to speak in public. However, our teacher asked me to share my learning with the class. It not only gave me the confidence to speak in public but also helped me memorise what I had read."

Sunita now helps her son with his studies. Not only this, his friends and children from the neighbourhood also seek her guidance. "People initially taunted me, but now they regret it and instead ask me for my advice", she ends the conversation describing the remarkable turnaround in her life.   

33-year old Manjusha from Katol in Maharashtra was visiting her maternal aunt when she was approached by the mobilisers from Pratham's Second Chance Program. When she realised that she can still complete her 10th-grade, she wasted no time in enrolling herself.

Manjusha belongs to a family who never completed their education. Due to their financial troubles, she had to drop out of school in 8th-grade. She soon got married and got busy with household chores. With time she became a mother of two children. One day her husband was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and died. Manjusha had no one to help her with the children, and hence she moved back to her parent's place. She began helping her father on the farm.



When Manjusha decided to complete her 10th-grade, she realised that she had a mountain of responsibilities back home. She continued to work on the farm and attended classes at the centre. She would then help her children with their school-work and find time to study as well. She found the Life Skills session very useful for her daily challenges. Whatever she learnt, she applied it in her day-to-day life. She wanted to graduate and look for a good job for herself. Her hard work paid off, and she scored 69% in 10th-grade. She is pleased and feels more confident about the future of her children. 

Manjusha is one of the 500 girls who were a part of Pratham's 'Second Chance' Program in Maharashtra this year. With 482 of them passing their 10th-grade this year, the passing percentage of the state stands at 88%.