TESTIMONIALS

SeemaKambleisafirstgenerationlearnerfromasingleparenthome.HermotherworksasadomestichelperandcleanerinaschoolinWorli.SeemastartedoffasanextremelyirregularstudentatAkanksha.InheryearsatAkanksha,shedevelopedverystronginternalvaluesandworkethics.AftergraduatingfromAkanksha,shecompletedJuniorCollegewith70%andstood2ndinhersecondyearofcollege.ShehasgraduatedinCommercewithafirstclass.Shehasdoneayearofteachertrainingandconductstuitionsforchildreninhercommunity.SheiscomputerliterateandhasbeenworkingasanHRExecutiveintheAkankshaoffice.Testimonial:"MynameisSeemaandIhavestudiedinAkankshafornineyears.IhavelearnedsomanythingsinAkankshathatitisdifficulttolist.Ihavelearnedtobecourageous,confident,tobelieveinmyselfandnevergiveup.IrememberatimewhenIusedtobeirregularatmyAkankshacenterandDidiusedtopullmeoutfrommyhouse.ButnowItellotherpeopletoberegularatAkanksha,whetheritsstudentsorvolunteers.IhavegotlotofopportunitiesinAkankshaandeachtime,Ihavelearnedalot.ThethingthatIwanttochangeaboutmyselfistocontrolmyemotions,andtoalwayssmile.MymotherandmyAkankshaDidisandBhaiyashavealwaysbeenmysourceofinspirationandalwaystrustedmeandthatIcan"makeadifference."SumeetGade:Exposuretodrugabuse,gamblingandalcoholismandinnumerableothernegativesinhiscommunityhavenotdeterredSumeet.Hehasnotonlyabstainedfromthembutalsoresistedthemcompletely-evenhelpingandadvisingotherswhileheworkedasafulltimesocialworkeratAkanksha.HespentsevenyearsasstudentatAkankshacentres,andisclearabouthisaspirationandspendshistimeworkinghardatachievinghisdream.Testimonial:"MydreamistograduatefromthebestcollegeinsocialworkandIamworkinghardtodojustthat.ImanagetheSocialLeadershipProgrammePragatiprojectinthepediatricwardoftheBombayHospital.MybiggestachievementwaswhenIstoodsecondinmycollegeinthelastexamsandscored63percent.IreallylearntalotfromourvisittoManavSadhnaandamimpressedbytheircommunitybasedprojects.IthinkIwouldbeabletodowellinsocialworkbecausewestayinthecommunityandareawareofthedaytodaystrugglesthatourcommunityfaces,myownbackgroundandmysinglemothersstrugglehavealsohelpedmeunderstandtheneedforempowermentandothersocialissuesbetter."

Seema Kamble is a first generation learner from a single parent home. Her mother works as a domestic helper and cleaner in a school in Worli. Seema started off as an extremely irregular student at Akanksha. In her years at Akanksha, she developed very strong internal values and work ethics. After graduating from Akanksha, she completed Junior College with 70% and stood 2nd in her second year of college. She has graduated in Commerce with a first class. She has done a year of teacher training and conducts tuitions for children in her community. She is computer literate and has been working as an HR Executive in the Akanksha office.

Testimonial:

"My name is Seema and I have studied in Akanksha for nine years. I have learned so many things in Akanksha that it is difficult to list. I have learned to be courageous, confident, to believe in myself and never give up. I remember a time when I used to be irregular at my Akanksha center and Didi used to pull me out from my house. But now I tell other people to be regular at Akanksha, whether its students or volunteers. I have got lot of opportunities in Akanksha and each time, I have learned a lot. The thing that I want to change about myself is to control my emotions, and to always smile. My mother and my Akanksha Didis and Bhaiyas have always been my source of inspiration and always trusted me and that I can "make a difference."

Sumeet Gade: Exposure to drug abuse, gambling and alcoholism and innumerable other negatives in his community have not deterred Sumeet. He has not only abstained from them but also resisted them completely - even helping and advising others while he worked as a full time social worker at Akanksha. He spent seven years as student at Akanksha centres, and is clear about his aspiration and spends his time working hard at achieving his dream.

Testimonial:

"My dream is to graduate from the best college in social work and I am working hard to do just that. I manage the 'Social Leadership Programme' Pragati project in the pediatric ward of the Bombay Hospital. My biggest achievement was when I stood second in my college in the last exams and scored 63 per cent. I really learnt a lot from our visit to Manav Sadhna and am impressed by their community based projects. I think I would be able to do well in social work because we stay in the community and are aware of the day to day struggles that our community faces, my own background and my single mother's struggle have also helped me understand the need for empowerment and other social issues better."