CHANGING THE LIVES OF UNPRIVILEGED GIRLS

Nai Dharti was created about 18 years ago, by a team of Bankers, teachers and Social workers, with a view to shape the future of girls belonging to the bottom of the social pyramid, by providing them an enabling environment for leading a dignified life, with financial security. The name, literally meaning a New World, is quite ambitious. However, the aim is not to change the world but to create a new world for those unprivileged young girls, who come to us with a present full of drudgery and no future, through compassion, opportunity and care.

Though registered in 2005 under section 21 of Societies Registration Act 1860 (Regn no 09/2005-06), the first turning point of Nai Dharti came in 2009, when Project ANKUR, aimed at creating Agents of Change out of rag picker girls was started with a handful of girls, in a rented premise. Though rebellious at first, love and care soon transformed them into happy children, eager to learn. Since then we have never looked back.

After two years, Sister Nivedita Balika Vidyalaya, a free formal school for unprivileged girls, came into existence. This name given to our school aimed to cherish the memory of Sister Nivedita (Ms Margaret Noble), an Irish lady, and disciple of Swami Vivekananda, who had done exemplary work towards Women education in India. Our school was set up in 2011, with 30 students and classes up to Std III, including our 20 girls, and some local slum children. The School, following Bihar Board curriculum, was formally registered under RTE with the State Government in 2013.

Gradually we introduced Std IV and V, but, owing to non availability of space, the school had to be shifted frequently. In 2014, it was converted into a fully residential school, and we took in several homeless girls from Government run shelter homes. This went on till 2019, with total student strength of 70.

The financial constraints notwithstanding, Nai Dharti kept on expanding and evolving at the same time. After shifting the office and school a number of times, because of space constraints on account of increased number of girls, and also because of huge rental outgo, we were forced to purchase a piece of land on the outskirts of Patna, by raising donations from individuals and institutions. The construction of 3 floors of the hostel building was completed in July 2019, and the girls, along with our School and Main Office, shifted to their own premises in August 2019. Construction of School Building was completed in another two years, and, the topmost floor of hostel was constructed in early 2022, enabling us to reach out to more deserving girls.

At present, we have 120 girls as boarders and 65 day scholars, taking the total number of students to 185. Our girls have shown excellence in various competitions and given good performance in Academics also. Out of five batches of students, who passed Matriculation, 80% have secured first division. All of our first batch students have already completed Graduation with Honours, in First Class, from various prestigious colleges of Patna, while the rest are following suit.

New Admission
THIS IS MY SCHOOL

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

1) Providing Free and formal education up to Std X to unprivileged girls like rag pickers, orphans, slum dwellers, and daughters of marginal daily wage earners, with mostly one parent alive or both dead. Providing coaching and shelter for deserving students for completing plus 2 education.
2) Providing free shelter, food, medical facilities, clothing, books & stationery to 120 boarders.
3) Providing free holistic development opportunities available to privileged children, through various extracurricular activities like Music, Classical dance, Arts & crafts, Tailoring, and physical activities like Yoga, PT, and Karate.
4) Guiding the girls under our care toward a healthy and disciplined life.
5) Providing inputs like team building, managing daily activities, and personality development.
6) Inculcating moral values like sharing, caring, honesty, and truthfulness, to make them better human beings.
7) Finding out and nurturing hidden talents.
8) Running skill development programs, including Computer training, Tailoring, and Food processing.
YAHI HAI HAMARI NAI DHARTI

PROJECT NIRMALA

PRODUCTION & FREE DISTRIBUTION OF SANITARY PADS TO NEEDY WOMEN

This is a project sponsored by TEREX India, through which, we have a target of production and free distribution of 150000 ultra thin sanitary pads with Nano Gel technology to poor women within the year 2022-23. The entire production unit, consisting of one Swatchh semi-automatic machine with accessories, and the required raw material, has been sponsored by TEREX.
Free distribution of sanitary pads to ultra-poor women- Sponsor TEREX INDIA

From Ragpicking to Patna Women’s College

First Day at Nai Dharti
Today’s Rinky
Rinky Kumari, one of a group of rag-picker girls, came to us in 2009, as our first batch of students. The group was both shy and rebellious, but love and care soon won them over. Since then, Rinky never looked back. Over time, she became our best all-rounder student, excelling in the study and other activities. Though a bit frail physically, she became an excellent classical dancer and painter. While still young, her painting was featured in one of our Sponsor’s Annual diaries.
Rinky secured high first division in Matriculation and completed her plus 2 with distinction. Thereafter, by dint of her own merit, she was selected for admission to BCA in Patna Women’s College, the most prestigious girls’ college in the State capital. She is now studying in BCA First year and currently participating in a Government cultural program in Uttar Pradesh.
She can be seen in the rightmost lower corner of the first photograph. Her sister Urmila, next to her, also passed Plus 2 with distinction in all subjects. She is now doing her graduation in Psychology Hons at Magadh Mahila College, another prestigious college in Patna, and plans to come back to Nai Dharti as Counsellor.

Fighting all odds to get high first division

Tannu Kumari
Tannu was a small ragpicker girl, who came to us in 2010. Daughter of a drunkard father and a rag picker mother, her aspiration is to become a doctor. She is a quiet girl with a talent for music, and excellent academic performance. She is also part of the medical group in our Junior Management team. Tannu was scheduled to appear in the Matriculation Examination in January 2021. Unfortunately, her father succumbed to heavy drinking in December 2020. She came back after attending his funeral to continue her preparation, but soon another misfortune occurred. Her mother was arrested on charge of assisting in illicit brewing, and was put behind bar just before her examination. Despite this, Tannu did not lose hope. She appeared in the Examination and secured 79% marks!
Tannu has also completed Plus 2 from Bihar Board with good marks, and is now preparing for a graduation course in nursing.

Being Physically Handicapped is not the end

Dancing in the Annual Function
Sunita Tirkey (name changed) was born deaf and dumb. As if this was not enough, she was lost from home at a tender age, and after much wandering, came to us in 2007. She knew a little alphabet and could also write a bit. We did not have a special instructor for her, so we could not educate her further. But she imbibed every other thing that Nai Dharti could teach, and, with passage of time, became much more accomplished than any normal girl.
Sunita has been trained in tailoring, embroidery, food processing, cooking and screen printing. She has been trained in taekwondo and karate. She is a good painter and has shown excellent talent in classical dance. Although she can’t hear, she can feel the rhythm, and, with deep concentration, picks up the steps.
Sunita is now a part of our working team, and, as a daughter of the house, works as a supervisor cum helper in the kitchen. Her smiling face and greetings are encouragement for all. It’s true that when God closes one door, he opens others.

Conquered Tuberculosis and Abandonment

First Prize in Inter-School Competition
A painting by Romila Kisku
Romila Kisku (Name changed), came to us in 2014 as a homeless girl, with both parents dead and herself abandoned by the family. She was a skinny child with bright eyes, and within a fortnight of her coming, was diagnosed with an advanced stage of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Immediate treatment started, and, at times, we were terribly afraid that we would lose her. However, she had got a rare fighting spirit and Tuberculosis acknowledged defeat after a yearlong treatment.
Post-recovery, we were pleasantly surprised to note that Romila was a born painter. With superb imagination and an excellent sense of colors, she soon became our leading artist. Apart from painting, she has exhibited excellent talent in classical dance, Karate, and is now the beat keeper in every drill and parade.
Romila has made Nai Dharti proud by winning first prize in Inter School Painting Competition organized by St Xavier’s Alumni Association. She has completed her Matriculation through NIOS from Nai Dharti, and is now happily reunited with her family, pursuing her career.