‍"I never got a chance to go to school. Poverty robbed me of that opportunity as I had to go to work to support my family. I now want to educate my elder daughter by all means, so that she does not face what I had to. "‍

This is the story of Bhikani Devi, who is now recreating her life on her own terms with the support of the Nudge Institute's End Ultra Poverty program. 

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Twenty years ago, Bhikani didi (respectful term for ‘elder sister’) with her husband, Kandra Ageriya, migrated to Boda tola in Jharkhand . They were in search of livelihoods. Soon, both husband and wife worked as daily wage laborers in the brick kilns. 

The income from this wasn't sufficient enough to make ends meet. Bhikani didi had to borrow money from the local lender just to cover their daily expenses. Every month, more than half of their earnings would go towards paying the debts that came at exorbitant interest rates. Her husband's drinking habit only made this situation worse.

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The Graduation Approach would help Bhikani didi increase her earnings and manage her finances better. This requires intense handholding and It took a while for our Community Development Officer (CDO), Mahtab Ansari, to develop a trusting bond with didi's family. He says, “I wanted to establish a good bond with the community before I could help them, and the plan worked! Now, they trust me and even treat me as their own. Didis even come to me to seek advice or help".

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After working with Bhikani Didi for more than 1.5 years now, Mahtab recalls how Didi’s life has significantly changed from what she was and what she has now. 

Prior to joining the EUP graduation program, Didi had no house or any other assets. Didi and her husband, cultivated a small patch of land with no knowledge of effective farming methods.

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After joining the program, they were able to build a concrete house by getting access to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) government welfare program and a small shed to breed livestock. With further EUP program support, Didi started breeding pigs and took up farming in her small backyard and on the land given by the forest department.

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What years of migration for livelihood could not do, became possible with the right guidance and support of the EUP program. Didi is now better equipped with right techniques for cultivating vegetables and rearing livestock and earns enough to manage savings for building her family's future.

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Capable of saving beyond basic needs, Didi has shifted her focus on educating her children. She has four daughters and a son. Didi has high hopes for her daughters and wants them to get proper education, something she was deprived of.

The eldest daughter who is 16 years old used to study at a school near the village. Didi wants to admit her to a school where she can get meals and accommodation facilities, along with proper education. She desires the same for her second daughter, studying in 5th standard. To make this dream come true, Didi has been diligently building her savings.

Bhikani didi's story showcases her courage and willingness to chart a better future. Her efforts to bring this change also helped her to successfully graduate from the first cohort of the EUP program.