Renu: Pratham Mothers' Group Instills Confidence & Drive
A resilient mother who is ever-ready to learn and grow along with her children
Renu, a 40-year-old woman, lives with her sons and parents in East Delhi. Her eldest son is 14 years old, and her youngest son is 3.5 years old, who goes to the Anganwadi. She is separated from her husband and doesn’t get any child support from him.
Renu had a full-time job as a beautician, but says that she couldn’t pay attention to her eldest son’s learning process as she was working. Now, she works part-time as a beautician through home visits.
Ever since she joined Pratham’s mothers' group and her youngest son started attending the Anganwadi, Renu has been more involved in her son’s learning. She says her son has become an enthusiastic learner. He makes it a point to tell his mother everything he learnt at the Anganwadi. Activities and lessons he has learned have become a part of their daily conversations. While doing her chores, she teaches her son basic concepts.
“During the lockdown, he did not interact with other kids, did not talk much, but now he plays with other children in Anganwadi and takes part in activities. He tells me about everything he’s learnt once he comes back home from the Anganwadi,” says Renu.
Through the mothers' group, she says she gets constant guidance on how to teach her son and take care of his health and nutritional needs.“ Pratham helped me overcome my social anxiety and got me involved in the group,” she says.