In 2020, a young woman from inner city Hyderabad took brave steps toward rewriting long-held narratives about a woman’s place in the home and society. The second oldest of four children, Divia* watched her brother journey to junior college, but never complete his courses. As she watched him find full-time work and hang up the title of student, she felt the weight of certainty nestle into her bones – her parents would likely not borrow more money to send her. She held her dreams close, feeling she was truly called to more than simply becoming a wife and mother. She was attending a partnering community center, and the staff there saw something in her they couldn’t ignore.
After conversations with her parents, the family agreed to join Back2Back’s Strong Families Program, designed to help families move from surviving to flourishing through classes and creative workshops addressing their holistic needs. Families are provided with care for today, so they can participate in a promising tomorrow. Staff fostered Divia’s dreams and education, and when India’s Hope Program was ready for new students, the center’s directors didn’t hesitate to ensure Divia would be among them.
Today, she is a university graduate and a well-known success in her neighborhood; she is also a great source of inspiration for her younger sister, Anvi*, as her family remains in the Strong Families program. Her example of prioritizing education and naming her dreams has inspired her entire family.
Anvi is bright and determined, currently enrolled in fifth grade, and dreams big of her future. Anvi and Divia’s parents are from northern India, and 20 years ago, they left their traditional village, moving to the city in search of more for their family. Before children, they lived in a rural area where tradition shaped women’s roles, prioritizing household responsibilities, discouraging formal education, and encouraging the use of facial coverings, a ghoonghat when interacting with men. After their move to the city, they embraced new perspectives and gradually challenged those long-held norms.
Divia paved the way – for herself and her family – as the first female to attend school, and this served as inspiration for young Anvi. She saw what was possible and longed to follow in her big sister’s footsteps.
Anvi, who once struggled to see out of her left eye, studies diligently today and sees very clearly, thanks to medical care and treatment. Each day, she is ready to tackle new lessons and hopes to break cycles of limited opportunities for women in rural villages all over India, similar to her big sister.
Anvi’s story illustrates the power of educational access and familial support – it transforms lives. Once limited by traditions keeping girls out of school, she is now building a more sustainable future for herself and inspiring others to do the same. With the right opportunities, even the deepest roots of poverty and tradition can be rewritten.
