Growing wings of Change
Pinki Yadav
Pinki who is 24 yrs now, joined GSV in 2009 /10, an organisation that brought her face to face with an audacious dream. While she attended school in the morning and GSV in the evening, it all began like a routine that started to grow wings she wasn’t conscious about. She studied and fared well at school and came in touch with her mentors, teachers and many other guests, experts, all belonging to a community she had never connected with up-close, so far.
Each day began within a tight spaced, jhuggi, extremely hot in summers and barely a shelter in the rain. The fear of safety while walking to school, using the toilet or going for a bath, no electricity or water became a matter of habit. Walking to and from GSV took her 45 minutes one way, with a continuing fear of safety, following sunset. The tough survival pushed Pinki to break out of it. GSV exposed her to a different world where she could seek guidance along with study support. She saw and went to homes and events which strengthened her determination, offering her hope. She deep dived into studies, always getting encouraged by her parents. She recognised ‘education’ as a means to uplift herself. For her the choice was either to be sincere to studies, aim for salaried job, or prepare to join her parents in farming and map her life in penury forever.
Her father was in the army but had to leave it because of pressure from her grandfather. Since money was a challenge, a jhuggi, however fragile, provided accommodation that demanded no rent. “This kind of a life was just a fight of daily survival. It was not for someone like me. My safety was always a concern. During summers everyone slept outside, that was uncomfortable.”
After completing her 12th class, with the required support, she completed a diploma in Elementary Education (DL ed) with 94%. Her fee and daily expenses were taken care by GSV, for about two years. She continued to spiral upwards, completing a series of certification courses from time to time, CTET (Certificate of Teacher Eligibility Test), to name one, and got employed in a private school and MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), before joining Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, which is where she is currently teaching. She is constantly upgrading herself, likely to complete MA in June of 2025.
Says Pinki, “GSV was a turning point in my life. All along I met good people all of whom encouraged me to push my limits, especially the founders of the organisation, who embraced me with personal attention. The teachers and volunteers guided me and others without any discrimination. The exposure I received is what changed things for me. When I met them, spoke to them and went to events with them, I observed their conversation, demeanour, dressing style, and I thought, why can I not do this! That was my dream, to be like the people I had not grown up with”.
Pinki blazed her path persuasively into spending about eight hours to education at a time when it was not considered priority for girls to study, in her community. Her mother at times dissuaded her from going to school or to GSV , fearing her safety en-route , as well. Pinki did not let go. She was willing to take any amount of risk to study. However, according to her, the awareness of importance of girl-child education has grown, a development that can be attributed to Pinki and others who delivered a successful impact as silent ambassadors. The complete experience made her confident, positive and determined.
While delivering a speech in school, at an event. she was identified by an official who suggested her to pursue DIET (District Institute of Education & Training) and she made an entry into a life of dignity and respect.
Today when she reflects back, she emphasizes that while it was in her to fight aggressively for what she wanted, she fondly recalls that GSV provided her the gift of ‘confidence’, and there has been no looking back thereafter.
