Just a year ago, 11-year-old Amrita’s educational prospects seemed uncertain. Amrita had always been recognised as an academically strong student, but poverty and her village’s remoteness almost forced her to discontinue her education.
In Amrita’s village in rural India, most families depend on agriculture and daily wage labour for survival. The village only has a primary school, and children must travel six kilometres for middle and secondary education. The route includes rough village roads and forest patches, making daily travel difficult, especially for young children and girls.
Amrita lives with her grandmother while her parents, Omprakash and Santhoshi, migrate to other areas for daily wage work. Their irregular income made it difficult to arrange transportation or hostel support for her education. Like many rural families facing economic hardship, they were uncertain whether it was possible to continue Amrita’s education beyond primary school.
Despite these challenges, Amrita remained determined to continue studying. She regularly completed her schoolwork at home and often studied late in the evening after helping her grandmother with household chores. Along with her studies, she also managed small responsibilities at home while waiting for her parents to return from work.
I always wanted to continue my studies to make a great future. I knew the school was far away, but I did not want to stop studying after Class 5 like some other girls in the village.
What challenges do girls in India face in their education?
Girls in rural India face a range of interconnected social, economic, and infrastructural challenges that often prevent them from completing their education.
Secondary schools are often far from villages, making daily travel difficult. Many rural schools lack adequate toilets, especially separate ones for girls. This becomes a major barrier during menstruation, leading to absenteeism and eventual dropout.
Girls are also often expected to help with household chores, farm work, or sibling care instead of attending school. In some communities, girls are expected to marry young and once engaged or married, girls typically leave school permanently.
How the Khushaal Bachpan program supported Amrita on her path to education
Caritas Australia and our partner Caritas India run the Dignity of Children in India project, also known as Khushaal Bachpan. The project focuses on enabling children to realise their rights to education, food, and nutrition.
In the 2025 financial year:
Academic support
was provided to 3,600+ children, and 47 out-of-school children enrolled in open schooling to address learning gaps.
Dry ration kits
were delivered to 1,288 vulnerable families and 37 children with disabilities were supported with assistive devices and physiotherapy.
Community sessions
were conducted on child rights, early marriage, child labour, and school enrolment, with 1,000+ children engaged in sports-based education.
The Khushaal Bachpan team learned about Amrita’s situation through her neighbours, who described her as a hardworking student with strong academic potential. Soon after, the team met Amrita and her grandmother to better understand the family’s situation and the challenges that had led to her discontinuation from school.
“When we met Amrita, we understood that the main challenge was not her willingness to study, but the lack of access and financial support,” said Yashoda Rathiya, Community Educator under the Khushaal Bachpan programme.
“The nearest middle school was six kilometres away, and there was no safe daily transport available for her.”
Amrita on her way to school. Photo: Caritas India.
After discussions with the parents and grandmother, the team helped facilitate Amrita’s admission to a residential school offering subsidised schooling to children belonging to economically vulnerable families. The team supported the family in meeting a part of the school fees, completing admission-related formalities and ensuring that Amrita received guidance during the transition process.
“Many children in remote villages discontinue education due to distance and poverty,” said Sr. Jessy, District Program Associate.
“Amrita was highly motivated and academically capable. We felt it was important to ensure that she received an opportunity to continue her studies without interruption.”
Amrita never stayed away from her grandmother for such a long period. Adjusting to hostel routines, managing studies independently, and adapting to a new environment required effort and patience. However, she gradually settled into hostel life and began focusing fully on her studies.
Amrita’s grandmother recalled the difficult decision of sending her away from home.
“We were worried because she was still young,” she said. “But we also knew that if she stayed in the village, her studies might stop. The Khushaal Bachpan team gave us confidence and supported us throughout the process.”
At the school, Amrita attended classes regularly, revised lessons during evening study hours, and actively participated in school activities. Her hard work was gradually reflected in her academic performance. Amrita performed consistently well in classroom assessments at the end of the academic season, she scored 96.83% in her marks, which catapulted her to amongst the best performing students at school.
Amrita’s mother, Santhoshi, spoke about the change she witnessed in her daughter.
“Earlier, we worried about her future every day,” she said. “Now she studies confidently and speaks about becoming a teacher. We feel proud of her efforts.”
