Stories Of Change
“A Small Machine, a Big Change”
“Earlier, whenever my period started in school, I used to cry silently. I would tie my dupatta longer and sit quietly, afraid someone might notice. Sometimes I even went home without telling anyone. But now, with the sanitary pad vending machine, I no longer feel scared or embarrassed. I can get a pad myself, anytime. It has given me freedom and dignity. Thank you, SSS, for understanding what girls like us go through.”
For Rashmi, a bright and shy Class 8 student at Government Upper Primary School, Hilgana, menstruation used to be a source of fear rather than something natural.
“Earlier, whenever my period started in school, I used to cry silently,” she recalls. “I would tie my dupatta longer and sit quietly, afraid someone might notice. Sometimes I even went home without telling anyone.”
In her rural school, access to sanitary pads was a daily challenge, and talking about periods was unheard of. Many girls, like Rashmi, missed school for several days each month — not because they wanted to, but because they had no other choice.
When Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan (SSS) installed a sanitary pad vending machine in her school, it quietly transformed those difficult days into ones of comfort and dignity.
“Now I no longer feel scared or embarrassed,” Rashmi says, smiling shyly. “If I need a pad, I can get one myself anytime. It has given me freedom and confidence.”
For Rashmi, that small metal machine in the corner of her school is not just a convenience — it’s a symbol of care, understanding, and empowerment.
“Thank you, SSS, for understanding what girls like us go through,” she adds softly.
Today, Rashmi attends school confidently — her education no longer interrupted by something as natural as menstruation.
“Behind Every Needle, there’s a Story Waiting to Heal”
“Every morning, I prepare myself to meet people the world often avoids.” These words belong to Kavita Sindhwi, a dedicated counsellor working with Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan in Targeted Intervention HIV-AIDS awareness and prevention program for injecting drug users (IDUs). Her work takes her to narrow lanes, abandoned parks, and community shelters — places where addiction quietly hides in plain sight.
“Every morning, I prepare myself to meet people the world often avoids.”
These words belong to Kavita Sindhwi, a dedicated counsellor working with Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan (SSS) in Targeted Intervention HIV-AIDS awareness and prevention program for injecting drug users (IDUs). Her work takes her to narrow lanes, abandoned parks, and community shelters — places where addiction quietly hides in plain sight.
“When I first started, I was scared,” Kavita Sindhwi admits. “Many of the clients were withdrawn, angry, or suspicious. But once I began listening — really listening — I realised that behind every needle, there’s pain, trauma, and a story waiting to heal.”
Through consistent counselling, awareness sessions, and one-on-one trust-building, Kavita Sindhwi and her team have helped many users take the first small steps toward recovery — connecting them to medical support, HIV testing, and rehabilitation programs.
She recalls one case vividly — a young man named Ramesh ( name changed), barely 22, who had lost his family’s trust and his own will to live.
“When I met him, he said, ‘Didi, no one wants to touch my hand, everyone thinks I’m dirty.’ That broke me.”
Over months of counselling and constant encouragement, Ramesh began participating in group sessions and slowly reduced his usage. Today, he’s enrolled in a vocational training course and volunteers to talk to others about safe practices and recovery.
“He once told me, ‘You didn’t give up on me when I had given up on myself.’ That’s what keeps me going.”
For Kavita Sindhwi, counselling is more than just a profession — it’s an act of compassion in a space where judgment is common but empathy is rare.
“These people don’t need pity. They need understanding, patience, and hope. Every time one person chooses recovery, it feels like we’ve lit a small lamp in a dark room.”
Through the dedication of counsellors like Kavita Sindwi, Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan continues to restore dignity, awareness, and second chances to those society often overlooks — proving that change begins not with lectures, but with listening.
“When I opened the box, it felt like someone cared about me”
“My name is Meena. I study in Class 7 at a government school in Guna. Earlier, I often came to school without eating anything. My parents work as daily labourers, and some days, there was not enough food at home. I felt weak and sleepy in class and sometimes missed school because of tiredness.” Meena’s story is the story of many children from low-income families, where hunger often stands between them and their education. Attending school on an empty stomach made it hard to focus, dream, or even smile.
“My name is Meena. I study in Class 7 at a government school in Guna. Earlier, I often came to school without eating anything. My parents work as daily labourers, and some days, there was not enough food at home. I felt weak and sleepy in class and sometimes missed school because of tiredness.”
Meena’s story is the story of many children from low-income families, where hunger often stands between them and their education. Attending school on an empty stomach made it hard to focus, dream, or even smile.
“One day, the people from Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan came to our school and gave us Nutrition Kits. When I opened the box, it felt like someone cared about me,” Meena says, her eyes lighting up. “Inside, there were nutritious and delicious food items. We started receiving these kits every week.”
Each Nutrition Kit contained simple yet essential items — energy drink, fortified flour, fruits, nutrients and iron rich supplements — helping families ensure that their children received the nourishment they needed.
“My mother was so happy,” Meena recalls. “She said, now I don’t have to worry that my child is going to school without eating.”
Within a few weeks, Meena began to feel stronger and more energetic.
“After eating regularly, I don’t miss school anymore. I can concentrate in class and even play with my friends again. My teacher says I look more confident now,” she shares proudly.
For Meena, that simple box of nutrition became something much bigger — a symbol of care, hope, and opportunity.
“This kit was not just food for us — it was care, love, and strength in one box. Thank you, Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan, for helping children like me stay healthy and continue our studies with hope.”
“Today, the girls no longer whisper or hide”
“Before, we didn’t even talk about periods. If someone got her period in class, we all felt panic. There was shame, laughter, and fear. But after Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan installed the vending and incinerator machines and conducted awareness sessions, everything changed. Now we talk openly, help each other, and smile through those days. We feel strong, not ashamed.”
Before Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan (SSS) came to their school, the girls of Government Higher Secondary School, Bajranggarh, lived in quiet fear of “those days.”
“Before, we didn’t even talk about periods,” says Neha, a Class 9 student. “If someone got her period in class, we all felt panic. There was shame, laughter, and fear.”
Periods were treated as something to hide — a reason to skip school and stay silent. With no access to sanitary products or safe disposal facilities, the girls struggled with discomfort, anxiety, and embarrassment.
Everything changed when SSS installed sanitary pad vending and incinerator machines and held awareness sessions that encouraged open dialogue about menstrual hygiene.
“The Resource person’s from SSS explained everything so kindly,” Neha smiles. “They made us realize that menstruation is natural and nothing to be ashamed of. Now we talk openly, help each other, and smile through those days.”
That simple change brought a wave of confidence and sisterhood among the students.
“We feel strong, not ashamed anymore,” Neha says proudly.
Today, the girls no longer whisper or hide — they stand together, confident and unafraid, embodying the true spirit of empowerment that SSS hoped to ignite.
“From Dreams to Digital Success: Ayesha’s Journey”
Her journey stands as a testament to how skill development programs like PMKVY, when delivered with dedication and guidance, can transform lives, uplift communities, and empower women to achieve financial independence.
Ayesha, a bright and ambitious young woman from Gonda Uttar Pradesh, always dreamt of supporting her family but had limited opportunities due to a lack of technical skills. Her life took a turn when she enrolled in a computer course under the PMKVY scheme offered by Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan.
Through structured training, hands-on learning, and continuous mentorship, Ayesha not only mastered basic to advanced computer skills but also gained confidence in handling digital tools, office software, and data management.
Within months of completing the course, Ayesha secured a job as a data entry operator at a local firm, earning a steady income.
Today, she proudly contributes to her household expenses, inspires other girls in her village to pursue skills-based training, and dreams of starting her own digital services business one day.
Her journey stands as a testament to how skill development programs like PMKVY, when delivered with dedication and guidance, can transform lives, uplift communities, and empower women to achieve financial independence.
“Building a Future: Akansh’s Journey from Struggle to Success”
“Coming from a family that struggled to make ends meet, I never imagined I could have a steady income. This training gave me the skills and confidence to change my life. Now, I can support my family and plan for a brighter future.”
Akansh Mastana, a bright and determined young man from Shahdara, delhi, grew up in a family struggling to make ends meet. With his father’s irregular earnings and mounting household expenses, Rohit often worried about how he could support his family and secure a better future for himself.
Everything changed when he discovered the Plumbing course under the PMKVY scheme, offered by Samanvit Shiksha Sansthan. Despite initial doubts and financial hurdles, Rohit enrolled in the program, driven by a desire to improve his life.
The course offered hands-on training in modern plumbing techniques, water systems, and installation practices, along with guidance on workplace safety and client management. Through dedication and hard work, Rohit mastered the skills, gaining both confidence and practical expertise.
After completing the training, Rohit secured a job with a local construction firm and began taking freelance plumbing assignments. Today, he earns a steady income, supports his family, and dreams of starting his own plumbing service.
Rohit says:
“Coming from a family that struggled to make ends meet, I never imagined I could have a steady income. This training gave me the skills and confidence to change my life. Now, I can support my family and plan for a brighter future.”
Rohit’s journey is a powerful reminder that with the right skills and guidance, even the most challenging circumstances can be transformed into success.
Akansh Mastana, Shahdara-New Delhi (beneficiary of PMKVY 4.0 Project)