How one girl’s education transformed an entire community: Vimla’s story

At 14, Vimla’s education was cut short when she was married against her will. By the age of 16, she was already a mother of two. Today, she’s an award-winning community leader driving change for girls and young women.

At sixteen years old, Vimla’s chances of finishing her education and writing her own story were slim. Like many girls around the world, she was from a remote village, and her family struggled to make ends meet. Her parents prioritized her younger siblings’ education.

Weighed down by the heavy responsibilities of caring for two children before she was even 17, Vimla lacked the time, tools and support she needed to forge a brighter future for herself.

A turning point for Vimla was finding the Balika Shivir project, supported by the Z Zurich Foundation and Plan India -- a lifeline for girls who have dropped out of school. Despite opposition from her husband and mother-in-law who believed her place was in the home, Vimla remained undeterred and enrolled herself in the program.

Vimla's journey was far from easy. She worked tirelessly, working as a laborer and caring for her family during the day and poring over textbooks at night. Her commitment to education saw her finish the program and rejoin mainstream schooling – and she didn’t stop there.

Vimla also became an inspiring champion for social change for girls in her area. Alongside helping teach girls when teachers were unavailable, she secured rent-free spaces for Balika Shivir Centres and brought 78 girls who had dropped out back into education. She fought against child marriage, established a ‘pad bank’ to address menstrual hygiene needs for over 120 women, set up a kitchen garden with her peers, helped girls set up their first bank accounts and helped the District administration to reach and bring new voters into the government system. 

Her determination and impact has been recognized through Plan India’s Impact Award for the Best Changemaker. The award included a cash prize of INR 25,000 (approximately USD 300). With this money, Vimla plans to open her own shop in her community, a major step towards economic independence.

Vimla's remarkable story underscores the powerful ripple effect of social change. Empowering young women doesn’t just create opportunities for themselves and their families, but for their communities and countries.

Together with Plan India, Accelerated Learning Centers for girls in Rajasthan and Jharkhand have been established, aiming to positively impact over 30,000 lives. In doing so, we aim to help girls from rural communities build life skills and escape the poverty trap, reducing their vulnerabilities to child marriage or forced labor, and build awareness of the critical importance of girls’ education worldwide.