21-year-old Rukhsana is a young, influential leader in her village Jani Kalan situated in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. She has recently completed her graduation form Chaudary Charan Singh University and wants to continue her studies further.
The financial problems in Rukhsana’s family had been a barrier for her in every step of her life, especially education. She was forced to drop out from school by her family but she did not give up. Rukhsana approached one of the Community Activists from her Bal Mitra Gram, a programmatic intervention of KSCF to make villages child friendly.
Soon she was able to get back into school and became the President the Bal Panchayat of her village (A Children’s Council) at the age of 8 which made her vocal about the issues concerning girls and women in her village. During her leadership period as a Bal Panchayat President, she enrolled 30 children and regularized 15 irregular children in schools.
Rukhsana became a part of ‘The Freedom Fellows Education Fund’ through which she was supported in completing her Diploma in Elementary Education from Raizada Daramdas Institute of Education & Technology, Meerut. After completing the course in 2019, she is currently pursuing post-graduation (Private) in Hindi from Kanohar Lal Mahila Post Graduate College from Meerut. She also plans to appear for the entrance exams taking place for the selection of government teachers in various states.
Rukhsana dreams of becoming an influential teacher and opening a school in her district Meerut that will provide free education to the marginalised children in the area, especially girls.