Ranu is 22 years of age, and lives in the village Gajwada (District: Khandwa). Ranu is currently pursuing her first year in Bachelor of Arts (3yr degree course) from Indore (DAVV University). Ranu came to Barli Institute in May 2015. She successfully passed her high school and higher secondary school exams while staying and studying from Barli Institute. Ranu’s mother never went to school but her father went to school upto the eighth grade. Ranu has two younger brothers and an elder sister. Her father wanted all his children to get a proper education. He does farming and also works as a carpenter earning on an average 75 thousand rupees annually. Ranu’s house in village Gajwada is one of the four houses that have a toilet. (there are around 150 houses in her village). But there is water scarcity and during summer season there is not much water in her village and people have to walk long distances to fetch drinking water. Farming is also not possible during the summer months.
Ranu is a hardworking and an intelligent student, always eager to learn. After completing her education, Ranu wants to work in her village and for serving her rural society. Ranu is getting trained to teach literacy at the Institute. When Ranu goes to her village during Barli’s holidays, she initiates several constructive activities. Ranu’s continuous efforts to continue her education has inspired many girls in her village to resume their studies. Her neighbors in the village, had discontinued the education of their four daughters, but Ranu convinced their parents and helped them restart schooling. She has planted several trees in her village and more than half of them have survived despite the scarcity of water. She also has counseled young boys in her village against alcohol abuse and tobacco addiction. She has also taught her father to make organic manure from the field and kitchen wastes and now her father regularly makes the organic manure for their fields.
Ranu says, “I want to complete my education so that I am empowered to educate women and work for the environment. I want every house in my village to have a toilet. I will implement rain water harvesting and other ways to raise the groundwater level in my village and try to solve the water problem with the village panchayat. (Local village government). I would have never learnt such life-changing skills if I hadn’t come to Barli. When I had come to Barli, I was initially depressed because I had failed the High School Exam in my village and was not confident of continuing my education. But here, I got the training and encouragement to try again and subsequently I cleared my high school. Two years later, I completed the higher secondary exam in my first attempt. I am pursuing a three years bachelor’s degree in Sociology (currently in the first year). I will also work for the society and help girls like me realize their dream of a good education”
Ranu’s mother and father are both proud of their daughter’s achievements. Her father says, “Ranu has set an example among our relatives by her zeal to learn and bring positive changes in the village. All the relatives call her an advocate for education. I will always support her in fulfilling her aspirations”.
