Development Consortium

Ekta Rewrote Her Future! At 17, Ekta Yadav’s future was already scripted. Her family in Rajasthan’s Narwas  village was going to get her married as soon as she finished school and reached adulthood. She stared ahead at a life confined to household chores, her dreams silenced. A path of compromise, adjustment and voicelessness awaited her. Streeksha changed that script. With a scholarship and mentorship, she completed her BA in History from Delhi University and today teaches while pursuing her B.Ed. In her classroom, young girls see more than a teacher — they see a role model. Ekta’s journey from a small village in Rajasthan to the capital city gave her the confidence to not limit her ambition. She moved beyond the boundaries that once confined her, finding freedom and voice through education.  Education is the first step toward independence.   Women form 66% of India’s literate population, yet only 27.2% join the workforce. The gap is not due to lack of talent, but lack of opportunity. Restrictive norms and financial hardship keep girls from higher education, silencing dreams before they begin. Supporting girls’ education transforms lives and nations. It shields against violence, early marriage, and abuse, while enabling independence, delaying pregnancies, and reducing maternal mortality. Streeksha exists to bridge this last mile. By offering scholarships, mentorship, and life skills, we empower young women to rise above barriers, pursue higher education, and lead lives of dignity, resilience, and ambition. Why Streeksha Matters Breaking barriers : In states like Bihar and Rajasthan, where girls’ enrolment in higher education lags far behind, Streeksha scholarship is a hand extended to a girl who refuses to be left behind. Delaying Early marriage : Every extra year of education is not just a number—it is a year of safety, dignity, and hope. It means a young girl can grow up free from the risks of early marriage, early pregnancy, and the cycle of violence that too often follows. Building resilience : Streeksha is more than financial aid. It is mentorship, peer support, and the creation of role models who light the way for their communities. Each scholar’s courage becomes a beacon, proving that resilience can rewrite futures. Meet Our other Scholars - Behind every name is a story of courage, resilience, and dreams that refused to be silenced Annu Kumari – Once a young girl from Behror Rajasthan facing social and financial barriers to education, today she is a Remote Sensing Analyst in Ahmedabad. Her journey from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Alwar, to BA Geography from Delhi to Masters in GIS from BITS Ranchi shows how education can transform destiny. Muskan Prajapat – From her home in the town of Khairthal in Rajasthan, Muskan went for BSc Zoology at Delhi University to an Integrated Masters in Biotechnology, Muskan is now training as a data analyst. Her story is proof that ambition, when nurtured, knows no limits. Sugandh – A NCC cadet, a yoga trainer and a BTech in Computer Science. Sugandh has not let her modest background come in the way of her aspirations. Her parents, migrant labourers in Delhi were supported by Streeksha in ensuring that Sugandh can fly high. A specialised course in ethical hacking from IIT Indore, also supported by Streeksha helped her land her first internship. Even the sky is not the limit for our Sugandh.  Rewrite Her Destiny - Your support can change her story. Sponsor a Scholar:  “Receiving the Streeksha scholarship changed my life in many ways. The financial support helped me pursue my education at a renowned university in India, which opened doors to opportunities that I had only dreamed of before. The scholarship not only supported my education but also helped me believe in my potential and showed me that girls can excel and build successful careers in technical fields.” ( Annu Kumari)   The program fee ranges between USD 1,300 and 2,200 annually, with the exact cost depending on factors such as the college, tuition structure, course type, and duration. Importantly, this amount is not limited to tuition alone — it covers a girl’s entire college year, including food and accommodation, providing her with the stability to focus fully on her studies and future. Your support means she can lead a life of dignity—stepping into a future of learning, holding textbooks instead of household burdens, and living her dreams of becoming a teacher, nurse, scientist, or leader. This gift is more than education. It is hope, opportunity, and transformation. A note from our Streeksha Program Lead/ Founder Streeksha began as a personal initiative, a tribute from me to Papa. After losing him at the age of 58 to fronto-temporal dementia, I was keen to honor him for what I considered his single most important gift to me. As I saw girls around me step back on education, Papa motivated me to study in Delhi, the first girl in my household to have ever stepped out for education and then again I became the first person ever to study abroad from my family. Papa provided this support not just to me but all the girls who could not fight this battle at their homes. Today my friends and I live independent lives and this is the dream I have for girls and our scholars. That is why Streeksha is also not merely envisaged as a merit or a STEM scholarship. It is an opportunity that is offered to every girl, who wants to change the circumstances for herself and her family. And that is why our scholars range from Remote Sensing Analyst to Auxiliary Nurses & Midwives (ANMs), because every girl is moving towards financial independence and there is no one path towards it. Arti Shukla