Transforming Lives Through Literacy

In the remote village of Poshera, a 90-year-old grandmother named Yamuna Badade had long harboured the dream of learning to read and write. Growing up, Yamuna was denied the opportunity to attend school due to the absence of one in her village and societal restrictions that prevented her from attending schools elsewhere. Later in life, she faced even greater challenges when she suffered from paralysis.

When the Read to Rise literacy centre opened in Poshera, Yamuna's granddaughter Dipika urged her to enrol. Despite her age and the lingering effects of her illness, Yamuna walked into the classroom — the oldest learner in the batch, and perhaps the most determined.

Her teacher, a trained local instructor appointed by the Diganta Swaraj Foundation, adapted lessons patiently to Yamuna's pace. Seated among women decades younger, Yamuna practiced letters, copied words, and slowly learned to write her own name. Dipika would sit with her grandmother after class, reviewing the day's lesson together — a ritual that deepened their bond and made every small milestone a shared celebration

Today, Yamuna knows the alphabet and can write her name. Her joy and pride are evident each time she picks up a pencil. She is deeply thankful for the program and the trained teachers who believed that no one — regardless of age — is beyond the reach of learning