Project Child Resilience Alliance

Vedika, a 13-year-old girl, lives with her parents and her younger brother in a small house in Latur. According to her parents, she is not a bright student and does not like going to school. When COVID hit, her elder sister was married, and she dropped out of school. Her parents started taking her to the agriculture field with them.

When the CRY team visited Vedika’s home, they learned about her situation. Her mother shared that because she is not interested in studies, she is taking care of household chores, and in a couple of years, they will get her married.

The project team convinced her mother to send her to classes. After a long discussion, she agreed to send her to the class for 1 month before taking any further decision. The team conducted an assessment test for Vedika, in which they realised she could not read and write. Simple and engaging ways were adapted to teach her. She started progressing in her studies with team’s effort and her hard work.

She started writing in Marathi and reading in English in a month and a half, which left her parents amazed and happy. They decided to let her stay with her grandparents and study when they migrated for work.

Currently, Vedika is a regular student in the class and has developed a keen interest in her studies. She has big dreams for herself, which she is working towards. Timely intervention and regular classes helped Vedika return to school.