She had made a “right” start by stepping on the corporate ladder, just after completing her MBA, but then this wasn’t what she was striving for. For 25-year-old Sonal Kapoor, it was a mother of six daughters from the Vikaspuri slum area who became the impetus to start Protsahan, a youth-driven NGO that works for the empowerment of underprivileged kids.
“I was on a company trip when I met this woman, who was expecting her seventh child. The fate of the unborn baby was decided — if the baby was a daughter, she would be strangulated,” says Sonal, recalling what the woman told her in a matter of fact manner, while the rest of her kids loitered around, forming a portrait of abject poverty.
This brief but disturbing conversation marked a turning point in Sonal’s life. It was 2009. Immediately, she rented a room in the slum area and set up a classroom for the underprivileged kids.
“I knew that studies have never been fun. Also, why would poor families let these kids waste their time with us reading books, and not go to work instead,” she thought.
But Sonal’s approach to work with colours worked wonders. “We planned to work on skill development, rather than shallow bookish education. Kids just went crazy with spray paints. There was just laughter all around,” she says.
Sonal then hired a destitute woman from the community as a teacher, for the classroom that runs daily from 2 to 5 pm.
Now Sonal has a core team of 11 professionals from IIMs and IITs, happily offering their services for the cause. Then there is a brigade of volunteers who are always eager to do whatever they can. They teach kids songs, read them stories and click their photographs. “Help also keeps trickling in through Facebook campaigns and Twitter updates,” she says.
But Sonal feels there’s some “divine hand” in the way Protsahan took birth and is growing each day.
The volunteers go door to door to tell the families how they aim at changing their lives through their kids. “I had no jargon to share with them. My approach was simple and down-to-earth. I spoke their language, and they were honest enough to share their concerns,” she says.
Protsahan holds innovative Madhubani painting and candlemaking workshops for kids and often for their mothers.
“During Diwali, we managed to generate some funds from these gift products with the help of Airtel. Each family received a fair sum of money and they were encouraged to co-operate with us,” she adds.
Sonal plans to get a system in place and devise a bridge-course so that these kids will get to enter regular schools.
Today, Protsahan classroom comes alive with happy and chirpy kids. Some rescued from red light areas and others from begging for a livelihood.
“The strength of Protsahan lies in these kids, but we are also looking for funds to keep the mission going,” says Sonal.