SUCCESS STORY - RINKI PAL

Mona Scholarship helps her realise her dream

The underlying message of the second story concerns aspiration building. It is about how the Mona Scholarship does not only enable girls to transition to class IX and X, but also empowers the girls. It allows the girls to determine their hopes and dreams. The Mona Scholarship, further, builds the aspirations of parents too. It enables families and communities to build better lives and escape poverty. The combination of dialogues initiated by the Aarohini team and the financial support of the Mona Scholarship are changing lives and communities.

Rinki Pal is a former Mona Scholar and student of KGBV Mirzapur. She left the KGBV to complete her class X at Ashirwad Inter College, Mirzapur in 2016. She was among the top science students in her class. Her dream is to study science further, with the eventual hopes of going to medical school and becoming a doctor.

“I was able to complete my high school because of the scholarship. I am searching for a good school for studying further' and will take admission when I will find one” - Rinki Pal

However, the school she would have to attend to complete class XII in a science heavy curriculum is over 20 km from her home. They have no provision for housing students from outlying areas. Both she, and her father appealed to DSH to furnish a solution. The team that manages Mona Scholarships contacted the network of schools that partner with SHEF to see if any solution could be found. An Ashram Type School (ATS) that was renowned for science was located in Mirzapur. ATS provides free education and hostel facilities for girls. Rinki Pal has been admitted to the school and is on her way to fulfilling her dream.

“[The Mona] Scholarship helped a lot. If DSH continues its engagement with us like now' the lives of a lot of girls like Rinki will improve.” Ram Chandra Pal, Rinki’s Father

Rinki and her father both agreed that without the Mona Scholarship, Rinki would not have transitioned to class IX-nor would she still be pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor.

Thanks to the intercession of her teachers, Karishma has returned to her studies. She is both happy and relieved to be able to make her own choices for her own life. For the moment she is safe.