Vandana at 12 is not very different from other girls of her age.  She has dreams in her eyes and she wears a shy smile on her face. What make her stand out is the ‘never give up’ spirit amongst adversities and challenges.  Vandana was once enrolled in school but she does not remember when. However, her education was punctuated by a long break as economic hardship forced her father to migrate to Delhi, and later to Mumbai for work. Meanwhile her mother shouldered the responsibility...
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This Valentine’s Day spending some quality time with my husband was a big bonus. Given our busy schedules, we decided to make time for ourselves. A leisurely lunch and a thoughtful gift presented with this soulful couplet made my day complete. suna hai mohabbat mein hadein nahin hoti, gar hoti hai hadh, to wahan mohabbat nahin hoti(I have heard that there are no boundaries when you love someone, if there are boundaries then love is absent)This couplet speaks a lot about breaking down barriers and communication...
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Today I would like to introduce you to a formidable woman from a small village in Uttar Pradesh who symbolizes the shakti or power in a woman. Chaman Bano, a 42 year old spunky woman, never went to a management school, but manages the needs of her village with an ease of a veteran. As the elected female representative of her village, she is inspiring other women to follow her example. The respect and admiration in her village is hard won and the path has...
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In the Barabanki District of Uttar Pradesh, many children don’t live to see their fifth birthday due to little or no access to health care.  Childbirth is dangerous for mothers and babies and childhood diseases are rampant.  But this is changing and Join My Village is excited to be part of the solution!    In many rural villages, pregnant women have few easily available medical resources.  Hospitals are far away and many women lack the basic knowledge of how to take care of a newborn.  That’s...
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Today, we will take you to a Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) school. These schools are named after Gandhiji’s wife, an active participant of the Indian freedom movement. These schools help to support the Government of India’s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Education for All, initiative is critical to its success. In the government-run Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) schools, 100 girls are able to complete upper primary school and gain important life-skills including self-confidence and critical thinking skills. But for these girls to learn, their...
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