“Ceiling Repair, Waterproofing roofs, building toilets, bringing electricity & meter connections, water supply arrangements, drainage systems, pipelines, sewage chambers, structural paint, beautification, greenery, building defined boundaries, digitalisation – the list is endless. It is such a struggle to get quality & timely work done from the labour here”
shrugs anika as she instructs the window welder while multi juggling with others.
But she goes on, inch by inch, center by center – unshaken & unstoppable she goes on.
In the sun-scorched villages of Rajasthan, where temperatures soar to a blistering 50 degree Celcius, Anganwadis – the education & health care centres for kids & preganant women are crumbling with no electricity, no water, no toilets & no sanitation.
NO, it’s not just an infrastructure failure.
It’s a humanitarian failure.
And In the midst of this, stands an outraged 17 year old girl. Anika Bhargava Mathur – the youngest human right activist & reformer who has taken up an immensely challenging task of revamping and rebuilding these “forgotten” Anganwadi centres.
The youngest ever to adopt Anganwadis she’s selflessly & silently rebuilding the lives of women & children of rural India.
Recently bestowed with the “community pride” & “Rochester” (USA) awards, her work is gaining momentum & recognition not just from the media & corporate houses but also from the common man coming forward to join hands thru donations, crowd funding & aids. “We are constantly on the look out for good contractors and labour. Perhaps through this medium, we can request more people to come forward and join hands with us”.
This girl is not just powerhouse but also the first of many firsts. Besides the first student in the history to adopt & revamp Anganwadis. She is also the only school going student to work in the ministry of women & child department bridging healthcare gaps. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also the youngest to work at Ajeevika bureau a public sector organisation advocating for rights of exploited women migrant labours in the rural belts of Banswara, Rajasthan.
Holding a mirror to the country’s system, Anika’s proven that change doesn’t need age, approvals or authority-it’s a result of compassion, commitment & most importantly- courage !!
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