"I " need to Speak Up for my Right

I was 13 Years Old, when I used to Play, I used to dream of a fairy world with loads of fun, choclates, Games, new Dresses and a happy life with my parents. But suddenly something happened and I found myself changing, My body was changing! I was growing and the way i used to think about my future was changing day by Day.

One day I went with my mother to a grocery shop to get groceries and was standing near by mother seeing here and there, and suddenly noticed my mother slapped the owner of the shop. I was shocked. I asked my Mother - Mumma What Happened. Why did you slapped him? Immediately my Mother holded my hand tight and pulled me and took me back to home. I could not understand and the question was always pushing my mind why did mumma do this?

After 2 years of the incident, While I was going to school, Again a strange thing happened. There was a Man who was following me, He suddenly hit me on my breast and It pained and i looked back to him but he moved fast, and I was not able to say anything to him. I didnot discuss this with anyone, as thinking if i tell about it, everyone will laugh at me.

Now my struggling phase started I was around 16, due to financial issues at home increased day by day all i had to do is work for my family to earn the bread, All my dreams I used to see about the fairy world were shattered, But I wanted to study and I had a strong determination that I will do anything for it. I started stiching falls on sarees, One of my friend taught me heena to apply on hand and now I got another option to go to functions at places where I was paid money for applying heenas, I not only earned money for our bread, but also saved money for my school fees and further continued my studies.

Live was going smooth and again one day I was invitied in a marriage party by one of my known person. I along with a aunty who taught me heena went there, during the party I was applying heena and suddenly I saw a man starring at me, and I felt very uncomfartable, but I tried to ignore him, after some time, I felt thirsty and went to drink water near water cooler, when I was coming back the person stopped my way and with force holded my hand, I told to leave my hand, but he did not, I told him I will shout but he forcefully pulled me near him, I was scared but immediately Some force pushed me and I started shouting help Help, Hearing this the man immedately left me and ran away. This was for the first Time I fought for me and that day I realized why my mother had slapped the grocery shop owner.

After I completed my Education, I started my NGO named PraveenLata Sansthan in 2013 that works for Child Welfare and Women Empowerment.

From Last 3 years I have been working hard to educate adolscent girls to talk about their Personal Safety, Mission Jagriti is designed to create a secure, safe and reliable environment for every child to grow develop and survive with dignity and without any discrimination or prejudice. Our main motto is to make the girls aware about how to protect themselves from all forms of abuse, negligence and exploitation & make them aware about their Rights & Conduct awareness program across the community to Save Girls, Educate Girls & Safety of Girls. It’s not only educating them about Good Touch or Bad touch but briefing them about various stages of issues which could be a part of abuses which includes, flirting, harrassment etc. The workshops are conducted in schools and Communities for Adolscent Girls in the form of videos and story narrations. Also school authorities are asked to form a sexual harrasment committee consisting of teachers/students to address the issues raised. The impact was till date

+15500 Adolescent Girls educated on Personal Safety

Sensitized more than 55000 on Beti Bachaon,Beti Padhao,Betiyon Ki Suraksha through roadshows and various activities on grounds

Trained with support of Volunteers +1500 Girls on Self Defense

11 Pragati Sakhi’s (Girl beneficiaries ) trained group of Girls who are the ambassadors Recently Honorable President of India recognized me with100 Women Achievers award for the work I have been doing.

It changed my Life, Because I took the aim to \"SPEAK UP FOR MY RIGHT\"

If I Not than who Will?

I have the Power to CHange! So I will!