Education being the key to development, every child dreams to acquire better education. But due to various reasons, an innocent child finds no way other than dropping out himself/herself from school going, like Sabitri, a 14 years old tribal girl of Binispur village of Gadiseshkhal GP in Kolnara block of Rayagada district, who was aspirant of becoming a government officer. One such reason is lack of proper guidance and support of own family members as well as the community to some extent.

From the childhood, Sabitri Praska has lost her father. Two years back, she missed her mother while studying in Std. VII. Being an orphan child, Sabitri has to depend upon her elder brother and sister-in-law’s income from agricultural labour. In an ill-fated morning, she was asked by her brother and sister-in-law to support them in agricultural works and supplement to family income instead of continuing her education. As if the sky fell on her head when she was warned about stop going to school. Sabitri could not think beyond her schooling.

Under compulsion, Sabitri dropped her study and joined agricultural farm as daily labourer. Many a times, she requested and counselled the family members to allow her going school, but all her requests and hopes went to ashtray.

Fortunately, under CYSD’s Integrated Child Development Programme, Sabitri was enrolled as a sponsored child. The case was taken to the notice of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). With the help of programme team members she was presented before the CWC, where Sabitri expressed, “I wish to continue my education in a residential school and do not want to put financial burden on my brother”. Immediately, CWC issued ordered to the concerned WEO of Kolnara Block to get the child admitted in a nearest residential school.

With constant follow-up with the WEO, Kolnara and logistics support, Sabitri has got admitted in the residential school of Therubali in November 2019. She is continuing her education there in Std. VIII.

“I am really grateful to CYSD for extending their timely support and showing me the light for a bright future ahead”, says Sabitri with tearful eyes of happiness.