Bela Soren is a resident of Jamuniya village and belongs to a tribal community. She used to work as a wage labour in the brick factory. She wanted to continue her studies but the economic condition of her family is so poor. She had to struggle a lot to appear Higher Secondary Examination. Her parents were not capable to afford her higher education and they arranged her marriage with a boy who was not educated.

Bela Soren once attended a meeting of wadi project organised by Chetna Vikas in jamuniya village. After listening to the Wadi farmers and the Project team members she realized that this is the opportunity she was looking for from so many days and if she associates herself with this project she can fulfil her dreams. After the meeting she met the project team member and expressed her interest to cultivate in her waste land. She also said that she wants to meet the Wadi farmers and visit their field to understand the process in a better way. The team member fulfilled her Wish and made her visit other Wadi farmer’s field. She had a land of 1 Acer but it was of no use. It was rocky land no crop can grow in the traditional way. But she decided to cultivate in that land and to fertilize the land in the process told by the team member of Chetna Vikas she started to collect the materials. 

Initially Bela had to face many challenges and she did not have money. She only had 2 bull, 2 goats, 2 pigs and 5 hens which was not sufficient for this activity. She used to teach a child of her village to earn for her living and she used to save a little amount from it for any emergency. She used that money and took loan by mortgaging her jewellery and invested the money to prepare the land. She also received the support from Chetna Vikas and NABARD.

Bela has cultivated 7000 plants of flowers in 1 Acer of land and she is earning Rs.200 to Rs. 250 per day. By seeing this success she decided to cultivate vegetables in the rest of the land and she did it without the help of anyone. She encourages other people of her village to come forward and take initiative to cultivate by using the intercropping technique. She always says that Chetna Vikas and NABARD have changed her life. 

Bela Soren is very hard working women. She said , “ the training of intercropping has very useful. By using that technique I cultivated flowers in my land, which was not possible without the training. I dreamed to earn for my family and give them a good lifestyle. If someone determines to achieve something, and puts all the efforts, no one can stop her. The association with Wadi project fulfilled my dream and changed my life.” 

Rajiv Hasda is the resident of Dulatad village. Before association with the WADI project, he used to migrate seasonally in search of work and in the rainy season he use to cultivate the seasonal crops like paddy, corn etc. The income from the farming was not sufficient for his family. He had one Acer of land which was not appropriate for cultivation. So he did not grew any crop in that land. His main source of income was the money he earned by working as wage labor.

Rajiv Hasda was not a confident farmer. The project team member encouraged him to participate in different training on agriculture. An exposure visit was also organized for the trainees and Rajiv Hasda was a part of that from which he learned new techniques of farming. It helped him to develop confidence and will help him to engage in agriculture.

Rajiv Hasda did not get support of anyone when he thought of farming in his rocky land. The project team member provided him the technical information and supported him all the time. People used to think that he is fool because he was trying to cultivate in waste land, what they thought were impossible.

Rajiv Hasda has become very popular in his village. He has made the impossible possible. People never thought he would succeed in his attempt but he proved everyone wrong. Now he is cultivating tomato, brinjal and chilli through intercropping and earning well from it. The standard of living of his family has also improved. He guides other farmers of the village and provides required information. Overall he has grown as an individual. Rajiv Hasda gained knowledge on agriculture through various training under WADI project. He said, “I cultivated different crops through intercropping in a waste land with the minimum use of water which make me feel happy. And the exposure visit and training played the most important part to make it happen.

Sixteen year old Chhabiya Kumari had hardly completed her 8^th grade that her parents began talk of her marriage. Shy but assertive Chhabiya clearly refused to get married. She said “I am still a child. How can you marry me?” She paused for a while then said “I have learnt the ill effects of child marriage during workshops and meeting of Kishori Club. If it hadn’t Kishori club I would have married by now.” Though, her neighbours are more worried about Chhabiya than her own parents. One of the neighbours said “It was good if Chhabiya got married last year only, how her parents will manage to marry both of their daughters at the same time? We are poor people we can’t afford to marry two daughters at the same time”. Chhabiya’s younger sister is hardly twelve year old. Unwavering with all these talks Chhabiya lives her childhood playing kabaddi and hope to rejoin school from 9^th grade which she had to discontinue as high school is far from her village.

“First time ever in our life we have worn short”, said 17 year old kaushalya. Initially it was a challenge to wear ‘short’ for girls.

In the villages where girls are not able to see their life beyond the fringes of their veil, they get married off at minor age; an initiative by Chetna Vikas which trains girls to play football is significant step to bring a change. As a 2008 report published by United Nations detailed how sport can benefit girls and women by enhancing health and well being; fostering self esteem and empowerment; facilitate social inclusion and integration. Though the difficulties faced by girls to play football, as 16 year old Kalawati who plays at striker position said: “initially, the villagers were reluctant to let us play this game as they thought our modesty will be compromised. They were not able to accept us to run around with abandon kicking the ball wearing t-shirt and shorts”. Moreover, many village elders ridiculed “now their study will be degenerated. They all will be failed in exams”. Such words didn’t deter girls from playing football. In fact, they all got good marks than before as Indu Kumari who recently passed her 10^th grade’s exam with first division said “I have silenced everyone who was scornful about my playing football”. Gradually villagers’ perspective is changing. Now girls play around village in shorts and elders feel proud that their girls go to other villages to play football. Girls do have football matches with boys’ team as well!

Lively and uninhibited, Seema Marandi, 18, is one of the most empowered young girls you will meet in the villages of Deoghar district. She said “I go to computer class alone by bicycle for four kilometer. Villagers scoff at me but I don’t pay them any attention. I will do what gives me happiness. I have to learn and change myself to live a better life”. Her eyes are sorrowful, but they still contain hope, she said “many girls don’t get opportunities in village. They married at an early age. They have to leave their school; they can’t go out and play. After marriage girls don’t learn anything but scrubbing vessels and a lullaby as they rocked their children to sleep on their own childish lap”. Seema had to quit her study after 11^th class; given her parents economical conditions and she has four siblings. Seema accepted this fact and took a responsibility to learn by herself. She joins learning programs organize by Chetna Vikas and actively participate in its Kishori club’s meetings and activities.

It wasn’t easy for Rani Kumari, she slowly gathered the bits and pieces of her scattered courage and refused to marry. She said to her parents “I am only 17 year old. I can’t marry until I become self reliant”. Her parents were shocked and angry but it was Rani’s spirit for study and football made her parents believed in her daughter’s decision. She along with her Kishori Club’s girls performed a street play about child marriage in her village, which also impacted her parents to change their decision. Having no senior secondary school in her village, she along with three other girls from her village collected money and joined a school in nearby town of Madhupur. She belongs to Santhal tribe is studying in 12^th and will continue till B.A. She said “I want to join a job and help my family. We are nine siblings”. Rani’s decision of not marrying at an early age and continue her study against the odds, open the way for her younger sister. She has set precedence in her village too.

Being from the deprived Community often the children are in risk of getting involved into labour work in the villages of Madhupur Block of Deoghar district. The parents not being much aware of the need of education and also because of the financial crisis they compel their children to start working from the very early age.

   Dilip, a 13 year boy was of no exception from this. When Dilip was in 7^th he started working with a tractor as a labour carrying sand. It came up during a child club meeting that Diliip has dropped out of school and has started working as a labour. Following to this, the child club members decided to visit Dilip’s house and motivate their parents to send Dilip to school and not to work.

   Initially the parents denied of Dilip getting involved in some kind of work but after constant intervention, the parents accepted. The child club member with the help of the field staff motivated the parents on need of education and that it is a crime to work as a child. After lot of effort, finally his parents agreed to send him to school.

   Dilip has now started going to school regularly.  He is in 7^th standard and tries to study well. He is happy that he is not having to work now.    His parents says that they regret to have sent DIlip for work rather than school and now they shall send Dilip to school every day.

Saraiyahat Block of Dumka district consists of many remote villages which remains aloof from all the glitters and privileges of a town. The people of these villages are mostly illiterate or less educated and lack skills. Though agriculture is the prime profession but due to lack of strategic cropping they fail to earn through the year from agriculture naturally leading to migration for job or dropping out of education, especially of the youth.

Chetna Vikas with support of ChildFund India has identified these youths who are in severe need and are in risk of migration or for the girls, in risk of marriage due to financial crisis. These children were provided additional support so that they could develop their small scale business.

Like 20 other beneficiary, Sajal Kumari’s family member received training on goat rearing and was also provided a support of one unit of goat, 3 female and one male which have given birth to three kids in the first six months.  Presently, they are earning 6000 for six months by selling the milk.

Sajal is happy as through this earning she is able to complete her higher secondary education. It is estimated that they could get a return of Rs.12000 per year from these goats and their financial burden shall be reduced.

Sajal’s mother syas “thanks to ChildFund India and Chetna Vikas that we are supported with the goat, my daughter can continue her education”

Nawadih is a remote village located in Saraiyahat Block of Dumka district where Chetna Vikas in support of ChildFund India is working for the betterment of the community. 

           The people of this village mostly belong from the deprived category and are mostly dependant on mono-cropping or labour work for their livelihood. Being illiterate most of the people are less aware and reluctant to fight for their right.

          Set up in this village is a school named Middle school, Nawadih is the only source of education for the children of the village up till 8^th standard. But, the school often keeps the students away of their rights like the children are not allowed to get sports material, stipend/scholarships, mid day meal, uniform and also that the fund for cycle is also not being transferred into the account of the children.

         These issues were raised in the Bal sansad and also in the child club meeting held on 20^th March, 2018. In this meeting the Bal sansad members decided to jam the school the very next day until they receive their right. The next morning the children went to school and locked up the school building. They demanded that the children are not receiving scholarship since 2 years, the mid day meal quality is poor and not according to the menu set up, the sports material are not available with them so that they could play, uniform, the children are not receiving and also the fund for cycle is not received.

        The school teachers after lot of argument with the children finally had to agree and now the children received sports materials to play like the cricket kit, mid day meal quality and menu are received according to the menu and the uniform will be distributed soon.

        The children are happy to receive what they should receive.     The Bal sansad members quotes, “we are happy that our demand and effort brought us result”

Raniya is a 16 year old girl living in a small village named Manjhladih, Madhupur Block of Deoghar district. Deoghar has a large ratio of early marriage and stands first among the other district of Jharkhand. Every third house in Madhupur has the site of early marriage. Raniya’s house was also no exception. Her father is a daily wage labour and seasonal farmer with a very low income to sustain her family.

               Raniya was 15 when her parents already started looking for her groom considering her as the burden of the family and reduce the burden. She was studying in 10^th standard then. Raniya has always been an active volunteer and participant in ChildFund India regular program since 2006. She is a member of Prerna Kishori Club and also participated in life-skill training, peer educator training and etc. When she learned that her parent is fixing her marriage, she immediately seeks help from her club mates. The kishori club members decided to visit her house and counsel her parents. But her parents were never ready to listen to them. This is when the kishori club members arranged for anawareness campaign through nukkad natak based on the ill effects of early marriage, and made sure her family participated to see the street play and Raniya was leading the play as the protagonist. In spite of this her parents were not enough affirmative of delaying her marriage, so the kishori club members also reached the panchayat who later on made pressure on the family and the marriage was prevented.

             Raniya has completed her 10^th and also enrolled into 11^th standard. She is also a member of Women’s’ Football team of Madhupur and play actively for her team. Recently ChetnaVikas through the Project of ChildFund India & Chetna Vikas gave her an opportunity to express her talents through ensuring participation. She has also taken vocational training on computer and beautician and wants to become an entrepreneur. 

            Apart from her own education she also indulged herself into teaching younger children and teaches children everyday in her village. She quotes “i am thankful to Chetna Vikas & ChildFund India and my club mates due to whom today I am able to contibue my education instead of getting married and ruin my dream of getting success in my life”