Naina & Koji

Naina and Koji are sisters who love studying and want to become Hindi Masters, a highly respected position. However, 13-year-old Naina had to drop out of school to help her mother with collecting water and feeding their livestock. 9-year-old Koji was worried she would have to do the same.

But thanks to OneProsperU – York University and the Richa and Atul Aggarwal Foundation, who have each donated $1,100, Naina and Koji can continue their education.

Their family will receive a rainwater harvesting tank with biosand filter, which collects water during the summer monsoon. The 20,000 L tank will provide water for 9 months of the year and can be refilled from pond water. Their family will also receive training to plant a garden using the khadin method which uses rainwater for agriculture.

Now Naina and Koji will be able to attend school and will receive bicycles, school supplies, and tuition to support them in pursuing their dreams of being Hindi Masters.

Naina and Koji’s mother, Gori Devi, has had a life full of hardships. She married early and dropped out of school. Her husband passed away 7 years ago leaving Gori Devi to provide for her 9 children. Gori Devi begins to cry when describing her childhood. She was very keen to study and wanted to become a government officer but had to drop out of school because of her family’s dire financial situation.

Gori Devi is very happy that her daughters will now be able to follow their dreams. Thanks to her brand new taanka, her daughters, Naina and Koji, are now attending school regularly. Koji studies in Grade 5 and plays ball with her sister in her free time. She also helps her mother to tend to their garden. Koji loves all her subjects would like to become a nurse while her sister Naina would like to become a teacher and teach Hindi.

Gori Devi is ready to invest in her daughters’ future and is very grateful to everyone that has helped to transform their lives.