“It’s a journey of finding my voice and courage,” says Neha, a 20-year-old college student from Jehanabad district in Bihar. Currently, in her second year, Neha’s life took a transformative turn when she joined the Kadam Badhate Chalo (KBC) programme a year ago. Her favourite aspects of the programme were the sessions on gender-based violence and the youth fair. KBC has empowered her to become a strong advocate for gender equality, and one of the most impactful lessons for her was understanding the difference between gender and sex.
Neha’s journey began when her mentors, Anjali and Shivangi, encouraged her to join the KBC programme. “They believed in me and pushed me to participate,” she shares. Through KBC, Neha learned about crucial topics such as gender, discrimination, and violence. “Learning the difference between sex and gender opened my eyes,” she explains. The supportive environment of the programme helped her build confidence. “I learned to speak in front of others and share my feelings,” she says proudly.
This newfound confidence began to influence her family dynamics. Growing up, Neha often felt that she was treated unfairly at home. “My brother could stay out late, but I had to be home by 7 PM,” she recalls. She longed for the same freedoms as her brother but didn’t know how to express this desire. "I also wanted to go for outings like my brother," she adds. As her understanding of gender discrimination grew, Neha recognised that these differences in treatment were a form of violence.
Neha began discussing what she had learned with her family, helping them understand that girls deserve the same freedoms as boys. “My parents became more supportive when I started expressing myself,” she notes.
Neha’s influence extended beyond her family. She inspired her friends, Richa and Khushi, to join the KBC programme. “I told them about the lessons I was learning, and they wanted to join too,” she adds with excitement.
Empowered by the KBC programme, Neha stepped up as a leader in her community. “At first, I was just a student, but now I can organise discussions and talk to others about important issues, and even mobilise them to play football,” she explains. One of her first initiatives was conducting a Participatory Safety Audit (PSA) to assess which areas in her community were safe or unsafe. “That was my first step in getting involved in my community,” she recalls.
Neha is passionate about stopping violence against women and believes that raising awareness is crucial. “We need to teach people about laws like the POCSO Act so that girls know their rights and can speak up against discrimination,” she says firmly. “It’s important to encourage girls to voice their concerns and approach the police when necessary.”
Reflecting on her journey, Neha says, “Before KBC, I was focused solely on school and household duties. Now, I understand the importance of standing up for myself, learning about gender violence, and raising my voice.” She is committed to continuing her advocacy work and helping others learn about their rights. “I want everyone to feel empowered to fight against discrimination,” Neha concludes passionately.
“As a leader, I aim to expand the reach of the KBC programme within my community and also want to work with adolescent mothers and I want to organise the sensitisation sessions for them, helping them understand that just like boys, girls are also capable of taking responsibility for various tasks and are already doing so,” says Neha.
