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Ummi Zaiba’s Story

Let Zaiba tell you how the programme helped her!

Ummi Zaiba is a Muslim girl from Hoovina Hadagali taluk of Bellary district. She is a Bachelor of Science student at Chitradugra, and stays in a hostel. 

Zaiba has been coming to our Centre since 2017. Her father runs a shop, and although her parents own some land, they cannot farm it due to lack of irrigation. Zaiba grew up in a fundamentalist and patriarchal family where she could not express herself or even look at her father’s face. She had to wear the burkha against her will, and when we first met her, she had very low self esteem.

 

How Zaiba took Action!

“The leadership building programme helped me realise that I have strong opinions and helped me feel confident about my convictions. I am happy that I attended workshops like Basic Nota, Gender Nota, Self Defence workshop, Pluralism Nota, Social Inclusion Nota and LB workshop. I never had a habit of reading, but now I read a lot.”

In 2018, I emerged as a leader by leading the 2018 Campaign on youth right to higher education.

I addressed students, press and public meetings in Chitradurga and in Bangalore, and spread the message about youth right to higher education. I am a part of the campaign for establishment of a Youth Commission. I have started negotiating with my family to lead a life according to my choices and desires, and have more voice in choosing my friends, my clothes and my career!