Asha, a graduate in social work, hails from a remote village in the Yavatmal district of the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra. Coming from the historically deprived nomadic tribe of Mathura Labhan, her community resides in a hamlet known as Tanda, preserving its distinct culture, beliefs, and traditions. In this community, girls’ education is often denied, and child marriages are encouraged. Despite confronting these adversities, Asha’s educational journey has been marked by emotional, financial, and mental struggles, primarily due to the lack of support from her parents. The YIF has long been her dream, and she is eager to utilise this opportunity to learn and unlearn various concepts. She aims to develop critical thinking and writing skills, enabling her to better understand leadership and connect her previous learnings through fieldwork and lived experiences. The diversity of subjects and Fellows excites Asha as it will allow her to improve her decision-making and problem-solving skills and implement them towards social change.
Young India Fellowship
