Field Stories

These stories bring out the real-life narratives, moments, and experiences, highlighting the stories and voices of the communities our fellows work with

Science Of Nuns And Sisterhood

Science Of Nuns And Sisterhood

[Aishwarya's (my co-fellow here) idea and Simran's production] She was trying to get off two tiny ants from her arm. After struggling with one, I thought I might as well help her. To me, it looked like, a better way would be to rub her hand off and make the ant roll...

The Dilemma Of The Connect

The Dilemma Of The Connect

"To have an association with somebody/something else; to realize or show that somebody/something is involved with somebody/something else" - this is the exact definition of the word 'Connect' as I Googled it to understand the formal or official meaning versus how it...

How They Push And Pull To Make The Ends Meet

How They Push And Pull To Make The Ends Meet

I once had the opportunity to travel in the general bogie of a push-pull train connecting the place I’m in (Gudupalli, Chittoor) to the Bengaluru city. It was only 5.30 in the morning and there were more than 200 people in the compartment which had a seating capacity...

The Journey Till Now…

The Journey Till Now…

Life itself is a journey and no matter from where you start, it doesn't stop, until of course it does, for the one final time. My recent journey started from my hometown - Jamshedpur in Jharkhand. As I have spent 21 years of my life there, I wanted to explore and...

Aarogya: A Game To Meet The Need For Vaccination Information

Aarogya: A Game To Meet The Need For Vaccination Information

Imagine your child getting vaccinated and you are not aware of the name of the vaccine or its use. Scary, isn’t it? Well, that's the case with majority of parents in the villages of Dalsinghsarai in Samastipur, Bihar. This lack of information often fosters negligence...

When People Became My People

When People Became My People

As soon as the first part of our fellowship program, i.e. the induction training ended in Udaipur, one by one all the fellows and the team members started leaving for their respective field areas. I was the last one left to see off everyone as I had been placed with...

A Camp For All Seasons

A Camp For All Seasons

When you work at a rapidly expanding NGO like Mann Deshi, things happen at a frenetic pace. I realised this when I got back from India Fellow's midpoint training. Even though our training days were packed with sessions and activities, it took me a few days to adjust...

The Dualities Of Women Empowerment

The Dualities Of Women Empowerment

An event full of contradictions An uneven and tardy playground of a government school, a bunch of male teachers, a female Sarpanch, a young woman as the organiser and thirty young and high spirited girls had gathered for a football match on a windy Wednesday morning....

Vittyasaathi – A Lifestory

Vittyasaathi – A Lifestory

A bleak light begins to flicker in one of Kathotia village’s households at 3 am. A long day awaits Sabo Devi*. She brews herself some tea, feeds and cleans the cow, gets ready and is on her way to work by 5 o’clock. Her daughter, Julie*, takes care of every other...

I Do Not Ask A Child “If You Go To School” Anymore!

I Do Not Ask A Child “If You Go To School” Anymore!

Among them was a baby girl aged 10 months (however appeared to be no less than 3 months old). She was suffering from both Severe Acute Malnutrition and Tuberculosis. It was an image that has distraught me till date.

The Kind Of People I Meet During A Sale

The Kind Of People I Meet During A Sale

One of the best things about being a sales person and selling products is the variety of people you meet. From easy going and generous to the most fussy and reluctant. Happy children wanting the laddus to old people volunteering to help; it has been a very different...

Why Did 9-Year-Old Bright Faiz Drop Out Of The Village School?

Why Did 9-Year-Old Bright Faiz Drop Out Of The Village School?

Faiz Parveen, a 9-year-old studying in primary school at village Daniyalpur in Munger District of Bihar was excelling in his studies. Faiz was studying in this school since 3 years and was always on time for school. It was the month of October (2018), when Faiz was...

One Scary Night At The Prerna Tribal Girl’s Hostel In Bihar

One Scary Night At The Prerna Tribal Girl’s Hostel In Bihar

During my second visit to the Prerna Hostel at Danapur, Patna I got the chance to be closer to Sudha ma’am and learn much more about her girls. What had surprised me in the first visit was their daily routine. They would wake up everyday to the ring of the bell at...