Siddhi: Rajasthan Youth transforms life with a second chance
Once a school dropout, Siddhi is now a teaching assistant with Pratham
Siddhi grew up in a loving and caring household in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan. As the eldest among three siblings, she was a role model to her younger siblings. She was a star student and made her family proud by scoring 86% in her Grade VIII examinations. However, misfortune struck the family when her father suffered a paralytic attack. Soon after, her mother was diagnosed with an intestinal disorder and her younger brother was affected by a nervous disorder. Amid these challenging conditions, Siddhi had to make the tough decision of dropping out of school to support her family financially. In 2012, after discontinuing her studies, Siddhi started tailoring work.
During a community mobilization drive in 2016, Siddhi and her family met Pratham’s team and learned about the Second Chance Program. She feared that she might not be able to clear Grade 10 exams after a three-year gap, but her family gave her the much-needed encouragement to enroll in the program. Initially, when she struggled with basic concepts, she questioned her decision of joining the program. However, as the course progressed and started delving into subject-wise curriculum, Siddhi's interest piqued. She started attending classes regularly, while managing her familial responsibilities. She scored 76% in her board exams.
Pratham's Second Chance program was a turning point in her life. Siddhi gradually became ambitious and decided to study further. She started her higher secondary classes while supporting her studies with her tailoring work. Due to family constraints, it took her two years to complete Grade XII in 2019 through open school. She also supported the Pisangan block as a facilitator. Currently, she is pursuing her Bachelor's in Arts. She's also been the Subject Content and Teaching Assistant of Home Science in the Rajasthan Second Chance program since October 2020.
Her journey from being a student to a state content expert serves as an example to young girls and women who have dropped out of school, whom she encounters during community mobilization drives. She says that she was inspired by her teachers in Second Chance, and now it's her motive to extend similar support to other girls and women.