This is the story of a girl named Raimoni trapped in the shackles of poverty. She joined Disha in 2015 as a class IV student and used to bring her 6 months old sister to school with her so that her mother could continue work as a maid in people's home in order to feed her three daughters while the alcoholic father, a rickshaw puller, would bring no money home ,instead he would beat up his wife and extract money out of her.
Raimoni was married off at an early age of 14 because her maternal uncle who had assumed the responsibility of getting the girls married (this is the customary way for the brothers to help their sisters in the tribal areas in fact the rural areas) threatened to withdraw his support if Raimoni was allowed to continue studying because then as she would get older Raimoni's uncle would would have to pay a higher dowry.
Raimoni's younger sister Shivani who used to accompany her as a baby is now studying in Class 4 at Disha. She is a model gentle and assertive girl who is determined to go for higher education provided someone supports her financially which her mother will be unable to do.
Raimoni had her first son soon after marriage . When he was barely 2 years old she brought him over to Disha and very proudly declared that her son could count till 10 in English and knew his abcd. The boy is now 4.5 years old and is attending Disha. Although she spent such a little time in school she fully understands the value of education and strives towards giving her child proper education.
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