Teenager’s hard work, passion pay off

THE life journey of a teenager from Bihar's Patna serves as an inspiration for millions of girls across India.

Despite being abandoned as a child at the Patna railway station and spending her childhood begging, Jyoti completed her education and today, with her immense grit and determination, she runs a cafeteria in her native city.

Nineteen-year-old Jyoti still does not know who her real parents are.

She was found abandoned by a beggar couple at the Patna railway station.

Jyoti said that with the help of many Good Samaritans she kept moving ahead in life, even though she experienced harsh days as well.

She said that as a child she also begged with the couple who adopted her.

On several days when she earned less money begging, she would pick up garbage.

Her life was progressing but the desire to get educated was definitely on her mind.

Jyoti said that as she pursued her studies, her adoptive mother died.

She did not give up despite facing tremendous hardships.

The Patna district administration decided to help her live a better life through a volunteer organisation, Rambo Foundation.

Vishakha Kumari, Bihar’s head of the Rambo Foundation, said there were five such centres in Patna where poor and orphaned young boys and girls were kept and educated.

Jyoti’s life changed completely when she joined the Rambo Foundation.

She pursued her studies and passed the matric exam with exceptional marks.

Following this, she received training in Madhubani paintings at Upendra Maharathi Institute.

Jyoti, however, was not satisfied. With her hard work and passion, she got a job to run a cafeteria in a firm.

She said that she still studied in her free time. She rents a house today.

Jyoti dreams of making a career in the field of marketing. |