During the journey of the third cohort, we faced several challenges. Out of the 9 fellows initially selected for the third cohort, 7 dropped out within the first one or two months. Yet just a year later, in the fourth cohort, 9 out of 11 fellows successfully completed the full two-year journey. This was not just a number. It was evidence that we had grown stronger as a team—learning from challenges and building resilience together.
Nidhi and Nishant sustained the entire project despite difficult circumstances. Nishant managed multiple responsibilities simultaneously: teaching English and FLN (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy) concepts and activities to primary children; preparing monthly assessment papers; overseeing program logistics and children’s health; and even handling administrative responsibilities for the centre.
Nidhi took ownership of lesson planning, classroom delivery, documentation at the centre, and other operational tasks—often working beyond regular hours and completing them with determination.
Pragati offered emotional support to many, strengthening a positive outlook through dialogue and presence. Prarup’s affectionate and honest nature helped people trust him quickly. Payal’s hunger to learn, the patience she consciously developed while working with the community, and her habit of listening deeply made the work more sensitive and grounded. Whenever someone felt overwhelmed or emotional, she created space for them to express themselves.
Prashant’s calm and steady presence gave others a sense of safety. He contributed not by speaking the most, but by listening carefully and bringing clarity through thoughtful conversations.
On the field, Nilesh built strong bonds with children and the community. His creativity and ability to create a light, joyful atmosphere made learning enjoyable for children. Anjali showed courage in understanding children’s emotions, prioritizing them, and implementing ideas from her reading into the classroom. Her approach—free from judgment and focused on understanding context—helped her connect quickly with both children and the community.
Kanchan consistently demonstrated a positive mindset, a commitment to continuous learning, discipline, and a habit of understanding the reason behind situations before reacting. Through her actions, she modeled these values for the team.
Janhavi’s strong sense of inner safety and ease allows her to offer genuine and abundant care to the people around her. Despite having no prior experience working as a fellow in the community and coming from a life very different from that of the Bharwad community, she integrated so deeply with the group that today it is difficult to imagine her separate from them.
All these small moments, taken together, strengthened our belief: if we continue to learn deliberately, implement thoughtfully, and stand by one another as a team, results will follow.