Increased Mobility: Gliding into the future, on wheels of Independence Ritika buys her own Scooty, within a year of finishing her fellowship! 

For Ritika, financial independence translated into increased control over her movement in life. Less than a year after finishing her fellowship, she bought a scooty with the salary from her first job and now soars around town on two wheels. 

With a wide smile she shared, “दीदी, अब मैं अपनी माँ को बाज़ार तक ले जा सकती हूँ और यह सुनिश्चित कर सकती हूँ कि मेरी बहनें सुरक्षित अपने स्कूल पहुँचें।” Ritika got employed as a Sales Executive, where she efficiently manages customer care support at a leading bakery chain in Delhi.

Amplifying Local Voices: Empowering Girls as National Gender Equity Advocates

One of our fellows, Jyoti, who is now working with Protsahan as a Youth Peer Leader and digital educator at one of our Girl Empowerment Centers, was awarded Charkha’s Sanjoy Ghose Media Award in 2023. The Sanjoy Ghose Media Awards encourage young girls from marginalised communities to emerge as catalysts of transformation, transitioning from their roles within non-profit organisations to influential media advocates. Along with a scholarship worth INR 25,000, she has gained mentorship and support to amplify voices in her community. 

“एक समय था जब मेरे मम्मी पापा मुझे प्रोत्साहन आने के लिए भी मना करते थे। कहते थे लड़की हो, इतना पढ़-लिखकर क्या करोगी? आज मुझे यह अवार्ड उनके सामने मिला। आज उन्हें मुझपर बहुत गर्व है। अब उन्हें लगता है कि मैं सिर्फ़ अपने लिए ही नहीं, बल्कि अपनी समुदाय की बाकी लड़कियों के लिए भी कुछ कर सकती हूँ।”

Jyoti received excellent mentorship from Charkha Development Communication Network, and is working for digital literacy among migrant adolescent girls in Delhi as a Youth Peer Leader at Protsahan.