In the quiet lanes of Manchal village, people often valued tradition than the education of young girls. In this village lived Mamatha—an ambitious 16-year-old her dream was to learn, grow, and have a good future.
But dreams were not easy for her. As a 9th-class student at ZPHS Manchal, Mamatha found herself trapped in the old mindset of child marriage that her parents were forcing. She was afraid to see how her dreams of studying were taken over by her wedding arrangements. She requested them multiple times and even made her stand that she wanted to study and be successful, but her voice had no room in her house.
That’s when help arrived – Geetha, a dedicated Nirvahika at Seva Bharathi’s Kishori Vikas Kendram, learned about Mamatha’s situation, she quickly reached out to Pariyaveshika Saritha and Samanvay Karyakarta Karuna, two committed change-makers who have helped multiple girls in rural communities by providing them second chance of life. Their efforts were a true example of girl empowerment in action.
On March 28th, Saritha and Karuna met Mamatha, offering her strength. They assured her that her dream to study would come true with their support.
Our Volunteers tried to persuade her parents and family but it didn’t work and they had to involve the Mandal Revenue Officer and Childcare Department. Finally, our team sought help from Manchal Police, who helped by placing Mamatha under protective care and taking legal action against her parents.
A special thanks to Seva Bharathi volunteers Geetha, Saritha and Karuna. Because of their relentless effort, Mamatha’s child marriage was stopped and more importantly, her dream was given a chance.
She now has the freedom of Choice, and the Power to succeed.
Mamatha finally smiled with relief and that made us realize what a priceless moment it was! Her story is a powerful reflection of girl empowerment, showing how timely action can help young girls reclaim their future.
