In the small village of Maniklalo in Jharkhand, India, where the norm is to marry off girls as soon as possible, one young woman is daring to imagine—and fight for—a different future.

Meet Neelam

Neelam grew up in a family where money was tight and expectations were tighter. Her father earned just a few hundred rupees a day operating a manual cart, and like many girls in her village, Nilam was seen not as someone with dreams, but as someone to be married off early—just as her older sister had been. The pressure to marry as a child haunted her, and though she often confided in classmates about her fears, the courage to speak out beyond the schoolyard eluded her.

As she grew older, life became more restricted. She wasn’t allowed to leave the house without questions. Villagers began watching her movements. The world felt smaller, and Neelam’s voice felt like it was shrinking too.

Then, everything changed.

One day, Neelam met Sinty from the local Tech Center, run by FAT (Feminist Approach to Technology)—a VOW-supported, community based organization. Sinty shared how the center was a space for girls to learn, grow, and gain digital skills—while also building confidence and leadership. Neelam said yes, hoping it would be the safe space she had longed for.

At first, she was quiet. Unsure. The self-confidence stripped from her by years of patriarchy didn't return overnight. But the facilitators at the Tech Center believed in Neelam. They listened. They invited her to workshops and entrusted her with responsibilities. Slowly, she began to speak. Then she began to lead.

And when she learned about child marriages being planned in her village? Neelam took action.

On her own, she visited the families of girls facing early marriage—sharing the harms of child marriage, the rights of girls, and the laws protecting them. She spoke with clarity and compassion. And she made a difference.

So far, Neelam has stopped three child marriages.

But her impact doesn’t stop there.

She completed her computer course at the Tech Center. She commutes from the city where she now studies to stay connected and mentor others. She dreams of becoming a social science teacher—not just to teach facts, but to empower the next generation of girls to stand up, speak out, and shape their futures.

“I want to teach girls to fight for their rights from a young age,” Neelam says, “and raise their voices against social evils.”

Neelam is living proof of what’s possible when a girl gets the chance to choose her own path. With the right support, spaces, and opportunities, girls like Nilam are not just imagining a better world—they’re building it.

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