The Covid pandemic and the lockdown imposed in March 2020 had wreaked havoc on the lives of people, especially the poor, in India. Millions of people who had made Metro cities their home had to migrate to their villages and hometowns due to the loss of jobs and sources of livelihood. For a vast majority of people, the free rations supplied by the Centre was the only source of subsistence.
During this period, several individuals and organizations came forward to help the poor overcome their sufferings. One of such organizations is Sam Vikas, a West Delhi-based voluntary group that provides skills training to women and education to poor school children.
Sam Vikas was started by Smt Abha Khanna and her social activist-husband Shri Rakesh. As a pracharak of RSS, Shri Rakesh had undertaken several social and philanthropic activities in the slums of Delhi.
Sometime in September 2021, he received a call from a girl from Piliphit, UP. She told Shri Rakesh that she and her siblings want to continue her education but her father can’t support them. The father who used to work as an unskilled laborer in Delhi was toying with the idea of marrying them off as he couldn’t support their education with the megre income he gets from working as an agricultural laborer in Piliphit.
Shri Rakesh convinced him to return to Delhi along with her daughters – Manorama, Rachana and Shivani – and wife. He arranged for the travel fare, school fee and other paraphernalia to support their living in Delhi. They all appeared for their 12th standard examination. Keen to continue their studies, the girls are confident that they can realize their dreams. “I want to become a fashion designer. Sam Vikas had given me initial training. After graduation, I will pursue my dream,” said Rachana.
Manorama thanked Shri Rakesh profusely and said it was because of his insistence and support that her father changed his plan and allowed them to continue their education.
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