Success Stories of Skilled Women from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, TISS – SVE

Paragon Charitable Trust Muktangan is a Training Hub Partner of TISS-SVE

Ms.Rasika Haldankar, Student of B.Voc course at Muktangan

Rasika is a young girl who lives with her brother at her paternal aunt and uncle’s house in Worli, Mumbai. She belongs to a town called Kudal in Sindhudurga district of Maharashtra. She studied in Kudal High School and Junior College till XIIth class while working simultaneously as a sales girl in a garment shop, to support her family. She is second of the three siblings; she has an older brother and a younger sister. Her family’s poor financial condition, and her father’s unsupportive and abusive treatment had a huge impact on her life. So much so that she tried to end her life. Thanks to her supportive uncle who counselled her and encouraged her and her brother to migrate to Mumbai.

After migrating to Mumbai, she learnt about Muktangan, from her uncle who works as a watchman in the Worli area. Her strong desire to become independent and her love for children made her enrol into the Muktangan Teacher Training course. Rasika describes her experience in the following words:

“I am so happy to be with Muktangan. Teachers here are so understanding. I am now confident that I will be able to fulfil my dream of becoming a teacher.”

When she initially began her training Rasika was shy and reserved. With very less knowledge of both English and Hindi, she had many apprehensions. However, with a huge support from her family, teacher trainers, mentors as well as her group mates, many of whom share a similar background, she has bloomed into a confident and enthusiastic individual.

Rasika’s family, especially her brother has been very supportive of her decisions. She, unlike many girls her age, was never asked to settle down and is the only girl in her village to complete her HSC and is studying further. She wants to stand on her own as an independent, self-supported individual, wishes to improve her family’s financial condition and wants to make her family and other people in her village realise that girls can be an asset too and can equally support the household.