From the dark shadows of despair to a bright dawn

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) facility has brightened the lives of many girls through the Gram Samruddhi Project sponsored by NAYARA Energy.

?Kajalben Ajmeriya from Nana Mandha village in Jamnagar district of Gujarat, a 33-year-old woman found herself at the crossroads of life when she lost her husband and was left with a son to raise and no educational background to help her out of this crisis.? Realising the fact that she needed to earn some money to support her son and her, she took up stitching of clothes which fetched her a meagre income.? The turning point in her life came in 2016 when she chanced upon NIOS.

Initially sceptical about how she would be able to cope with her studies as well as earn a livelihood, she enrolled in the 10th Grade and tried to strike a balance between studies and household responsibilities. Her determination worked! She achieved a hat trick of sorts by successfully qualifying in her 10th and 12th Grade examinations by 2023 and earned the enviable status of a secondary as well as higher secondary achiever.? Since then, there has been no looking back for her. Empowered by her newfound status, Kajalben donned the role of a "Suchana Saathi" for an NGO and served as a single window for accessing valuable information on various opportunities for upliftment of the quality of life of the rural community. As a facilitator, she has been able to transform the lives of many women encountered with similar predicaments.? Her journey from a dropout to an educator now serves as an immense source of inspiration for girls of her village, proving that education and perseverance can break barriers and change lives.

?

Meet 17-year-old Bhavanaba Chudasama from the Darbar community of Zankhar, Khambaliya in Jamnagar district of Gujarat. After completing her 8th standard, Bhavanaba's dream of being educated, seemed to crumble as her parents were concerned about the 10-11 km long commute to school and its toll on her health. However, hope arrived in 2021 in the form of NIOS. Bhavanaba enrolled for home schooling and with the support of her teachers, she realised her dreams by excelling in the secondary examinations in 2022 and enrolled for higher education in the Arts stream at a school situated 35 km away from her village.? However, this time, her parents immensely proud of her success and tenacity, permitted her to reside in the school hostel. Bhavanaba has well demonstrated that where there is a will, there is a way.?

?

Jaypalsinh Chudasama from Mithoi village had to shun education after completing his secondary education in order to lend a helping hand to his family who were engaged in farming. However, Jaypalsinh still cherished a dream of continuing his education and improving his prospects. NIOS enabled Jaypalsinh to realise his dream. He enrolled in the 12th Grade in 2019 and successfully completed his higher secondary education with an admirable score.? Since then, there has been no looking back for him. 21-year old Jaypalsinh landed himself a job with Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd. as a fireman with a monthly salary of Rs. 18,000. ?He is confident of his future with this secure source of livelihood and has a message for the uneducated youth in rural India – never give up in life and never sacrifice education for any other activity as it is the most important qualification in one’s life.????

#internationalliteracyday #nayaraenergy #baif #educationforall #nios