Welcome to Stories of Change — a collection of real journeys from Meri Pathshala, Bandhini, and SHE Matters. Here, children learn with confidence, women earn with dignity, and communities grow safer and stronger — one inspiring story at a time.
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Redefining Respect Through Awareness of Periods
How the Periods and Respect Session Changed My View When the joint session by Odser began, I honestly thought it would be like any other health class. I assumed periods were something only girls needed to learn about, and I…
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Understanding Respect: How a Classroom Lesson Changed a Mindset
At first I was not knowing what this class is about. I felt shy. Everyone was quiet. Then didi told us about good behaviour and how to respect girls. She said boys also must help make school safe. She showed…
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Learning Consent and Confidence
When the Odser team came to our school, I was first scared and shy. I thought they will talk about things that we should not talk about in front of boys, I was uncomfortable in the beginning. But slowly the…
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Seeing Clearly, Reading Freely: Zoya’s new glasses open the world of words and confidence.
I volunteer once a week at Meri Pathshala during reading and writing time. One afternoon I noticed a girl holding her book almost against her nose. She squinted constantly, blinked too fast and leaned so far forward that her forehead…
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Learning on the Move: Vijay learns focus through movement, not stillness.
I volunteer at Meri Pathshala twice a week. I am a grandmother of three, and perhaps that is why I notice small things children do that others may miss. That is how I noticed Vijay. He reminded me of my…
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Writing Without Fear: Tanmay finds courage to write freely and proudly.
I volunteer at Meri Pathshala after school, and I work with a writing group of seven children. They are all different ages, but most of them struggle more with confidence than with writing itself. Tanmay, who is twelve, struggles the…
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A Story as a Gift: Lata’s dream to read to her mother inspires her whole reading group.
I work with a small reading group of five children. They come from Classes 2, 3 and 4, but all read at the same early beginner level. Each child has their own struggle, yet one moment from the first week…
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Math in Colors: Manoj learns addition through colors and rediscovers the joy of learning.
I joined Meri Pathshala in its founding year because I believed every child could learn if only we found the right way to reach them. I was an engineering student then, comfortable with equations, patterns and neat solutions. But nothing…
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From Tears to Triumph: Ritu regains confidence and begins reading independently.
I began volunteering with Meri Pathshala because I wanted to support children in my community. My own son had struggled with reading when he was younger, and I knew how overwhelming it can feel for both child and parent. When…
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When Words Stay in Place: Nikhil conquers his reading difficulty through trust and patience.
I volunteer after school because I enjoy teaching, but one child changed the way I understand learning. His name is Nikhil. Every time he tried to read, he blinked rapidly and shook his head. At first I assumed he was…
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A Smile Like Sunrise: Kavya overcomes fear and reads aloud with confidence.
I am a retired primary school teacher, and I volunteer twice a week at Meri Pathshala. My heart still remembers one child, little Kavya. She never looked up. Her hair always covered her face, as if it protected her. During…
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Counting Beyond Ten: Sameer breaks past his limits and discovers the joy of numbers.
My first month with Meri Pathshala and on the first day I sat with a boy named Sameer who confidently told me he knew counting. I smiled and asked him to show me. He began counting on his fingers, very…
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Finding His Voice: Aarav learns to read his first sentence and feels truly seen.
I met Aarav in my second week as a Meri Pathshala volunteer. He sat in the corner with his knees pulled up, staring at his slate as if it could hide him. The rest of the class was loud and…
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A Young Boy’s Pledge to Make the World Safer for Girls
Why I Want to Join the She Matters Peace Walk I want to join the She Matters Peace Walk because I feel girls and women should feel safe everywhere they go. In school we learn to respect everyone, but outside…
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Sahil’s Story – Walking Beside Women: Discovering That Respect Has No Gender
Today I joined the She Matters Peace Walk at Wadia College Chowk. I was a little nervous because I always wonder what role men like me can really play in all this. I am not very good with big speeches…
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Aditya’s Story – How One Boy Learned That Equality Begins with Action
I usually volunteer with Meri Pathshala, helping children with reading and homework after school. I am also a college debater, so I am used to speaking on big issues, but today felt different. This was not about arguing a point.…
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Marching for Freedom: A Teen’s Stand for Dignity and Safety
Why I Want to Join the SHE Matters Peace Walk Next week our school will participate in the She Matters Peace Walk, and I have been thinking a lot about what this event means to me. I want to join…
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Rhea’s Story – Turning Planning into Purpose: When Volunteering Sparks Hope
I have been a volunteer with SHE matters for almost a year now, and usually I am the one handling the behind the scenes work. Planning routes. Coordinating schools. Checking placards. Calling teachers who always say, “Yes, yes, we are…
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Prachi’s Story – From Shyness to Strength: Claiming Her Right to Feel Safe
Today was my first SHE Matters Peace Walk, and I still feel the energy buzzing inside me even hours later. We gathered at Wadia College Chowk early in the morning. At first I stood at the back, trying to blend…
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A SHE Origin Story – The Promise My Father Made to Women
When I think of SHE and what it has become, I think of my father first, Dr Prem Sethi. He did not start SHE because it was fashionable. He did not launch it because safety had suddenly become a talking…
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Threads of Confidence
Quarter One Journal — Stitching and Painting Batch This quarter we selected two women, Sangeeta and Farida, for the stitching and fabric painting batch. Both women come from the same village but have very different backgrounds. Sangeeta has studied till…
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Measuring Success, One Meal at a Time
Week 1: Baseline and Menu Orientation This cycle we selected two women for the new cloud kitchen batch. Asha, Class 7 education, mother of two, cooks daily for a family of six. Meera, studied till Class 5, recently moved to…
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From Home Cook to Entrepreneur
I work with the cloud kitchen group in Khanapur. It is just two women at a time so that we can train them properly. This month it is Sarita and Lekha. Both of them had never imagined they could earn…
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Lighting the Way to Independence
This year we piloted a home-based candle making batch with two women from the settlement, Rekha and Vaishali. Both had limited literacy, no previous work experience and very little confidence in handling heat-based or precision tasks. Candle making was selected…
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The Sewing Machine That Changed a Household
When the world slowed down after COVID, I found myself spending long stretches of time at our small farmhouse in Khanapur, a quiet village on the outskirts of Pune. I had spent years working in education and community spaces, yet…
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A Day at Shivganaga Vrudhashram: Finding Joy, Wisdom, and Connection Through Volunteering with ODSER
There is a quote by my favorite philosopher Albert Camus – ‘You cannot create experience, you must undergo it.’ And I have lived all my life in pursuit of such experiences where I could submit myself to the people around…
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A Cup of Chai and a Chance Encounter: How Meeting Farokh Ajoba Made My Sunday Meaningful
Just like any other Sunday, our local team had arrived at Shiv Ganga Vrudhashram when the manager informed us about a few new members added to the old age home. Excited to meet them, I entered the room where a…
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The Afternoon That Built Meri Pathshala
In March 2019, just days after losing my father, the founder of Odser Charitable Trust, I walked into a small school he had once supported. I was carrying grief, confusion, and the weight of responsibility that had arrived too quickly.…
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