Sneha Das, an eighth-grade student at Gorakgata High School, faced challenges in both verbal expression and mobility. 

Mingling with friends and others has been a persistent challenge for her. “I didn’t have a single friend in school.  I used to think that everyone in my class laughed at me,” she said. One day, her teacher called her parents and asked her parents to stop sending her to school, saying she was causing problems in the classroom and none of her classmates wanted to hang out with her. The isolation intensified, and Sneha developed a profound dislike for herself, feeling ignored and disliked because of her disability.

A turning point came when a case worker initiated the UNFPA-supported Girl Shine session at her school. Even if her classmates didn’t want to invite her, the caseworker insisted on including Sneha. And it turned out to be a transformative experience. Following the session on friendship, those who used to ignore and bully her started talking to her very kindly, apologizing for their past behavior. They started inviting Sneha to friends’ groups and she became able to share her emotions with her classmates. As she shared her progress in her school life with her parents, she grew closer to them as well. 

“In the past, my heart was fraught with sadness and frustration. Now, they are all gone. I have friends. I know my parents, teachers, and friends are always on my side,” she said. “The Girls Shine session has become a blessing in my life.”

Sneha expresses a heartfelt desire for the Girl Shine sessions to continue, extending their reach to girls across the country and offering light and warmth to those grappling with disabilities, loneliness, and various challenges.