Case Study 1
Umavathi- Housewife to a leader
Name: Umavathi
Age:30
Area: Madagondapally
Project: RPDP
Husband is a driver
Prior to interventions
There was a time when Umavathi was mostly housebound as she was busy taking care of the family members and doing the household chores. Her world was her home and family members.
After Vidyanikethan
When Umavathi came to know about the SHGs mobilized by the RPDP (Rural Poor Development Programme) she joined it. She really liked the meetings and attended them regularly. She is only of the oldest members of the SHGs. Due to her interest and regular participation, she became to be looked up by all the other members and SHGs.
Gradually, Umavathi became the President of her SHG which is the Sumangali Mahila Sangam, Upparapalli. Her leadership qualities and the ability to get things done was appreciated by all. She used to motivate the 10 to 20 members in her group to save regularly and guided them on many aspects.
By now, Umavathi had gained confidence and knowledge about many aspects. She also decided to contest the Panchayat elections. She campaigned and won the elections. Given that she knew the area and the people and had information about the issues, the people felt that they could trust her. After being elected, Umavathi did not disappoint the people. She started working for the basic needs of the village and secured drinking water facilities for many areas.
Today, Umavathi is a role example of what a housewife can become after joining the SHG which gave her knowledge and a platform to grow.
Case Study 2
Keerthi
Keerthi is a 20 years old woman staying in Budhera village, District Bidar, Karnataka.
Due to her father’s death, she had to discontinue her education. The financial conditions of the house and her father’s death affected her deeply and she often found it difficult to manage her emotions.
Keerthi had studied till 9th standard, when her father was alive. Given the family circumstances, she was made to marry at the age of 16 years. She did not have the freedom to learn and go out for work, which only made her feel even more depressed.
Keerthi was very much interested to continue her studies but she could not do so in her marital home. She kept thinking about her father as she felt that if he had not died, she would have good support to study. She was now unsure about her own future.
After Vidyanikethan’s interventions
Vidyanikethan is implementing the IMAGE-K project in Bidar which is specially meant for Early Marriage Girls. VNK team identified Keerthi during a EMG survey (Early Marriage Girls) and came to know her all the problems she was facing. We counseled her on how to face the situation and motivated her to develop her skill by attending the tailoring courses. Now Keerthi is learning tailoring. Vidyanikethan also counselled her to continue her formal education. It also supported her in other ways as well. It has referred her to medical services for an illness and provided dry ration kits to her family, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, her husband also passed away due to an illness. This devastated the complete family
Follow up
The staff is visiting her regularly in her home and motivating her to complete her tailoring class and also to resume her studies. Now she is feeling very supported by the staff. Not only is she attending tailoring classes regularly, but also actively participating in the all-group activities and awareness and training programme. She is planning to put her child in the school. She has decided not to re marry.
Keerthi plans to finish her tailoring course and earn money by taking orders, and also continue her education.
Case Study 3
Nandini
Name: M Nandini
Father: Muniraj
Annual income is Rs.8000/-
Prior to Vidyanikethan’s interventions
Nandini’s father who is a farmer, is also an alcoholic and had regular fights with her mother. One day during such a fight, in a fit of anger, her father set Nandini’s mother ablaze, after which she succumbed to her burn injuries. Nandini and her younger sisters saw the incident of their father setting their mother ablaze and they were in a state of complete shock. There was a big outcry in the community after which the police arrested her father. At that time, Nandini testified that it was her father set her mother ablaze and that they saw the entire incident. However, her father told Nandini that it was not him, but her mother who lit herself and that he was innocent. He cried a lot and begged for her forgiveness. At that time Nandini who was about 12 years old was moved by her father’s tears. She then informed the police that what she had told earlier about her father setting her mother ablaze was not correct and that she was mistaken. The police freed her father after few days.
After a few months, Nandini’s father, Muniraju remarried. Once her aunt, father’s younger brother’s wife came to their house and she said that she would take care of Nandini and took her to her village. Unknown to Nandini, her aunt had taken money from someone to fix her marriage. She fixed Nandini’s marriage without informing Nandini’s father. As the wedding arrangements were being made, the person who was in charge of lighting and decoration recognized Nandini, who was around 14 years old at the time, and called her father and informed him.
Nandini’s father rushed to that village, but by that time the marriage at already taken place. However, the police, the CWC officials and other authorities came and declared the marriage null and void as Nandini was under age. Nandini’s aunt, husband and others were arrested. Nandini was devastated because she kept going through one bad experience after the other. At that time, the Child Welfare Committee interacted with Nandini and assigned her to stay in Vidyanikethan’s Margasusi home.
After Vidyanikethan’s interventions
When after this ordeal, Nandini came to Margsusi Home, she was not in a frame of mind to eat or to sleep properly. She would keep to herself, crying at times and withdraw if anybody spoke to her. Given her condition, the hostel authorities let her be for a few days and then counseled her regularly, and emphasized to her on the need for her to rebuild her life. Eventually, she started resumed studies in the 9th standard. Gradually she started playing with other children, participated in various functions and did very well in studies.
Nandini’s reaction
By the end of 10th standard, Nandini had grown attached to other students and the home. She said that had it not been for Margasusi Home, she would not have come this far. She got the courage from the hostel authorities to rebuild her life and overcome her past. After completing her 10th Standard, she underwent a course as a lab technician, got an internship opportunity and is now working as a lab technician in a private lab Bangalore.
Case Study 4
Ambika
Name: Ambika
Ambika’s mother and brother were HIV positive.
Personal history before Vidyanikethan’s interventions
While washing clothes in the rainy season near the pond which was overflowing with water, Ambika’s mother lost her balance and slipped into the pond and died by drowning. As she did not return, her family was searching for her. However, it was only the next morning when a resident of the village spotted the body floating on the pond. As the word spread about this incident, Ambika’s family came to check and to their utter horror, discovered that it was her mother who had drowned. Barely were they recovering from this shock that Ambika’s father, who could not take the loss of his wife, also passed away in a state of shock and grief.
In the circumstances, Ambika’s aunt took her to her house but there she was made to listen adverse comments such as being unlucky for her parents and that she was a cursed person and jinxed. To add to her trauma, Ambika’s aunt’s husband touched her inappropriately many a times, but because she did not have a place to go and she needed food, Ambika suffered in silence. At that time, her aunt and her husband had decided to enroll Ambika in a hostel because she was not welcome in the house. In the hostel where she was enrolled, she met the cook of Vidyanikethan’s Margasusi Home and had heard about its facilities from her. Ambika requested the cook to enroll her in Margsusi Home as she did not like the hostel in which she was staying.
After Vidyanikethan’s interventions
Ambika was then enrolled in Margasusi Home. Here, she put in her best and finally found peace after many years. After she completed her 10th Class, Margsusi Home mobilized a donor who sponsored her Diploma in nursing from Vijaya Nursing Home. However, Ambika did not like the subject and decided to drop out of the course. She then returned back to the hostel and requested to be accommodated in the Home.
As she did not have any family members and given her condition, Margasusi Home staff enrolled her in school where she completed her PUC. Again, Ambika did well in her studies. After her12th standard, the staff found another donor to sponsor her further studies. She is now doing a Diploma in Biotech at Saint Joseph College in Hosur. At present she is attending the online class and she is enjoying her subject.
Ambika’s feedback
Ambika has gone through a lot emotionally and physically for somebody given her age. She often recalls when her parents were no more and when she stayed in a relative’s house, she ate food only once a day or she would be underfed and lived-in fear.
In Margsusi Home, she found a family and care in the staff and other children. It was only because of the staff’s motivation that she was able to overcome her past and want to stand on her own feet. Ambika is also interested in dance and creative activities and given this Vidyanikethan’s Margsusi home provided her with all the opportunities for her to pursue the art form of her choice.
Case Study 5
Subdadra
Name: Subdadra
Age: 14 years
Subhadra joined Vidyaniketan from LKG and is presently studying in 9th class.
Father’s name is Bhajiya
Mother’s name is Kanakalatadevi
Family background
Subhadra is the daughter of her father’s second wife, who stays in Yelamanchari in Andhra Pradesh. Subhadra’s parents came to Bangalore in search of livelihood and to improve their living conditions. They looked for a school for Subhadra but could not afford the schools they visited. At that time, they learnt about Sri Vidyanikethan School.
Subhadra’s parents met the Principal of Sri Vidyanikethan School and explained their constraints. After listening to them, the Principal assured that Subhadra will not only be enrolled in the school but will get free education. It was not easy for Subhadra to focus on her studies as she kept thinking of her family circumstances. She would also fall sick many a time and also used to faint occasionally.
Understanding the need for providing her with special attention and counselling, the school teachers used to take care of her. Subhadra is very good at studies and scores a distinction in all the subjects. Subhadra is expecting good result in 10th standard. Thus, by getting the opportunity to study free of cost, a talented and hard-working child is able to study and lay the foundation for a bright future for herself and her family.