The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Laxmi’s Story.
Laxmi, 15, is actively shaping a secure future for other children in her community in Uttar Pradesh, India. Her incredible journey of change started just two years ago.
Laxmi’s family lived a hard life. As the eldest of five siblings, the financial pressure on her was immense. Her father sold eggs from a cart and worked in the fields to sustain the household. Seeing her parents struggle, Laxmi often helped them, leading to irregular school attendance.
Financial pressure eventually led Laxmi's parents to plan her marriage. However, Laxmi strongly objected; she refused to marry because she wanted to study. Over time, this struggle, combined with work, meant she had almost stopped going to school entirely, even while fighting to stay in it. Her future was truly in peril.
Laxmi’s life truly began to change just two years ago, thanks to a simple act of outreach. A dedicated community worker from MSEMVS, the British Asian Trust’s local partner for the Kawach programme, (previously known as the Child Opportunity Fund) visited her house.
Many children have to support their families due to poverty, often leading to school dropout or irregular attendance. This is why our work on economic resilience and bridging education is so vital. Our community worker didn't see a girl who had given up; she saw immense potential in her to take charge of her future.
Our community worker immediately engaged Laxmi’s parents, inviting them to a parents’ meeting to explain the crucial importance of education.
Following this, Laxmi’s mother began actively encouraging her daughter to study regularly.
With her mother's encouragement, Laxmi was ready for the next level of support.
We believe every child deserves a life full of possibility. We work to build their agency because they aren't just recipients of help. They are the key partners in building safe communities for their peers. Their voices are powerful and bring about lasting change.
Laxmi joined a youth group supported by the British Asian Trust. This platform was transformative: she learned essential life skills and finally understood her rights.
Her confidence blossomed so quickly that she started going to school every single day.
Her own headteacher noticed the transformation and nominated her to the local Village Child Welfare and Protection Committee (VCWPC).
These committees operate within the framework of Mission Vatsalya, an initiative from the Indian government aimed at creating a robust, nationwide ecosystem for child safety and security. Under this mission, the VCWPC is a crucial local body that actively integrates local governance and community services, including the voices of children, to collectively address child welfare and protection issues at the village level. Its primary goal is to encourage communities to take direct ownership of children's safety and well-being in their area. Through the VCWPC meetings, Laxmi was learning about the issues hiding in plain sight.
This newfound knowledge wasn't something Laxmi kept to herself.
Inspired and emboldened, she started going door-to-door in her village, especially to families from historically marginalised communities. Her message was simple but powerful – send your children to school.
Laxmi marched in rallies, painted messages on walls, and worked tirelessly.
Over the past two years, Laxmi has also contributed to our efforts to ensure that every girl in her village attends school, bringing around 80 girls back to education. She has personally helped twelve children get enrolled in school.
Her greatest act of courage came when a friend confessed that her parents were planning her marriage. Laxmi didn’t panic; she acted. She approached the parents and realised their fear was just about their daughter walking to school alone. Laxmi assured them that she would accompany her friend daily and persuaded them to call off the marriage.
That simple promise was enough to persuade them, and the marriage was stopped.
Laxmi has become a vigilant defender of her community, reporting other cases of child marriage and child labour to the VCWPC. Because of her dedication, one more child marriage has successfully been prevented.
Today, Laxmi is a voice of strength and courage. She speaks confidently at regional events, demanding that every child's right to safety and education be honoured. She says, “I want every girl to get education at least till graduation. Education empowers and makes the way for financial independence. If a girl is financially independent, she can write her story herself.”