23/03/2026
Savita raises her hand to share her answer with the class.
That she is here — confident, present, participating — is not accidental. Savita is from a Nomadic Tribe community in rural Maharashtra, where child marriage is common and seasonal migration makes staying in school feel impossible. Her being in that classroom is the result of years of quiet, persistent work.
This International Women’s Day, we reflected on what it actually takes for a girl like Savita to stay in the room. Not the big moments — but the decade of relationship-building, the community trust, the quiet insistence that she belongs there.
Four months ago, Nirman’s FCRA renewal was put on hold, freezing all international donations with no timeline given. Rather than the project stalling, something quietly extraordinary happened: the community stepped in. All five learning centres kept running — sustained entirely by local support. A decade of relationship-building, tested and held.
Savita kept coming. So did the others.
Now, with FCRA renewal confirmed, PAWA’s donations can flow directly to Savita and hundreds of girls like her — supporting them to complete their education, and grow the confidence to speak up.
And if you want to be part of that — is. This IWD, they’re raising funds for girls like Savita, and it’s not too late to get their t-shirt. 100% of proceeds go directly to supporting girls’ education. Link in their bio.
