The OZiva Kisaan Vikas program aims to give wings to the dreams of young farmers’ children and support them to succeed. Here, we tell you the stories of 3 young children who are pursuing dreams bigger than the whole sky.
The ambition in India’s younger generation burns brighter than ever. This seems especially true in the case of the children of farmers around the country. These young boys and girls, aged between 13-17 years, have already been marking themselves as young achievers, learning and practicing relevant skills, and dreaming of big careers that would make the nation proud and enable them to take care of their families.
On our visit to the Satara District in Maharashtra, we had the opportunity to interact with the kids of the OZiva Kisaan Vikas Program. These children impressed and blew us away with their maturity, grit and determination to achieve their dreams. Whether it was to become a doctor, an athlete or a coding specialist, they shared their enthusiastic ambitions to become successful despite all obstacles.
Their proud parents sat near them, eyes glistening with unshed tears and smiles bursting bright. We were left feeling a strong sense of pride and renewed hope to give wings to these children’s dreams.
Here, we spotlight the stories of a few children. Please note, we will be providing updates of all 100 children very soon! Stay tuned.
Nita Ghorapade: The Athlete whose dreams run as far as her legs
16-year-old Nita Ghorapade’s day begins early. She wakes up between 5 and 6 am, to begin her warm-ups and running just as the sun rises. Alongside her 11th standard classes, she juggles her athletic practice and helping to take care of her family. She has one clear dream – to win a gold medal for India, her beloved nation.
“I want to be an athlete,” she insists. Nita already regularly participates in marathons in her district, and she has come second at the district level. We watch her streak across fields and jump over hurdles as effortlessly as she smiles or walks. It’s clear that she really loves the freedom that comes with running.
Nita is one of a family of six. Her parents and other family members work on their own lands, as well as others’ lands. She helps out on the farm whenever she can, but her parents encourage her to primarily focus on her ambitions.
For athleticism is not all Nita wants to do for her country. “I am also planning to join the army!” she enthusiastically mentions, her pride shining on her face. She wants to help protect her country, and put it on the map when it comes to sports.
Nita’s parents’ support is paired with their worries when it comes to raising the funds for her training and practice to achieve both dreams. That is the main reason they asked her to enroll in our OZiva Kisaan Vikas Program. We cheer on this young patriot, and support her fully in achieving her dreams!
See just a snapshot of her story.
Samiksha Matkar: The Girl Coding Big Dreams in a Small Town with the Kisaan Vikas Program
The sad truth is that less than 29% of the women in India are computer-literate or even digitally literate. Even as computer awareness and literacy grows in India, the number of female internet users in the rural areas grows much slower than the number of male internet users.
However, young women in rural areas still dream of working with computers as a career, fascinated by their potential. One such young girl is Samiksha Pandurang Matkar, 17.
Samiksha’s eyes light up with a focused intensity as we see her at her system, typing out line after line of code. She’s fascinated with what computers can create in this world, and was most grateful when her school finally got the funds to set up its computer lab.
Samiksha lives in the village of Tandulwadi, and aims to become an IT engineer, a dream she has wanted since she was very young. “From the beginning, I thought that IT engineering was so great. I thought I’d get to learn about technology. That’s why I chose this!”
Samiksha’s parents are farmers, with a small plot of land. Her father earns around 2,500 a month. Her mother has an additional job, she runs the bachat gat (savings group) for the women in her village, and earns around 1,800 from it. Her parents, however, are absolutely determined to see this young achiever succeed, even if they have to take on extra jobs or a loan.
Samiksha has just given her NEET exam, and is awaiting her results. We are rooting for this young achiever to join our nation’s army of digital experts and pursue her ambitions!
See a snapshot of her story here.
Yash Santosh Dalvi: The Young Future Doctor Who Wants to Help People
In the town of Manglapur, 16-year-old Yash Santosh Dalvi and his mother have made their own world together. They are all each other has, as Yash’s father passed away a few years ago. Yash’s lifelong ambition was encouraged and fuelled by his mother.
“I want to become a doctor,” the tall, upstanding young boy declares, looking dreamily out of the window. His mother is busy working on the network of farms in Manglapur. Yash becoming a doctor is also her dream. “We want to help other poor people together,” says a determined Yash on why it matters so much to them.
Yash works sincerely at his studies as he is aware of how much effort it will take for him to achieve this. He can be seen around his school, sitting with his friends, with a textbook open in front of him. Aside from his personal study sessions, he is his friends’ guide and teacher, explaining tricky concepts to them when they do not understand.
Aware of their financial situation, Yash’s mother encouraged him to join the OZiva Kisaan Vikas Program to enable him to study further. This young aspiring doctor is already making great strides, and we are with him in this journey completely!
See a snapshot of his story here.
Read more about the program here. See its page here.
Last modified: August 2, 2023
