Manita, a 12th-grade student from the remote village of Rasulpur Ukhaiya in Uttar Pradesh, was a bright and determined girl who never let distance stand in her way of getting an education. But her world turned upside down when she lost her father during the pandemic. With no steady source of income, her education came to a halt, and her dream of becoming a nurse seemed to fade away.

But while Manita was ready to give up, CRY’s Adolescent Girls’ Collective was not. They took her concern to the project team, who immediately stepped in. During their conversations, the team discovered that the lack of a government school nearby and her family’s inability to afford private education were holding her back, and eroding her confidence.

To rebuild her self-belief, the team encouraged Manita to join CRY’s Life Skills Sessions. There, she regained her courage and found the strength to try again. Guided by the team, she started a small kitchen garden at home, which not only helped her raise funds for her education but also improved nutrition for local families. She even began tutoring younger children, balancing income generation with her studies.

With her persistence and CRY’s support, Manita completed her schooling and secured admission to the ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) course at Keshav Prasad Nursing Medical College. When expenses became a challenge, the project team linked her to the Mission Vatsalya program to cover her education and hostel costs.

“I never thought I could study again after my father passed away,” Manita says. “Today, I’m on my way to becoming an ANM and helping others. I want every girl to know- education can change everything.”