Seventeen years old Alisha Behera lives in the village Pathara under the Gram Panchayat Pathara in Block Khollikote of District Ganjam with her parents, 2 sisters and 1 brother. Her father Harihara Behera is a fisherman.
Being a bright and ambitious girl and a regular member of our adolescent group, Alisha is highly aware about the consequences of child marriage. She tried to convince her mother to not force her to marry at this immature age. Instead, Alisha wanted to study further and complete her education. In spite of her best efforts, however, her pleas against early marriage were being ignored by her family. This is when she shared her plight with her adolescent group’s members who were trained by VHAI. This decision proved to be a saviour. First, all of them approached Alisha’s mother to convince her mother against Child Marriage but were not successful. This is when the group approached VHAI field team. The field team rushed to the village to Counsel Alisha’s family. They convinced her parents to not to go for early marriage.
The Pressure to marry – “Here, girls have one and only destiny: marriage and motherhood”, explains Alisha. ”Underage marriage is not out of the ordinary, it is just what people have done for ages.”
Alisha has now become a Discussion Leader of her Adolescent group. In a strictly patriarchal society that often sees girls as a burden, Alisha is perceived as an icon by other girls. She has set an example in a society where child marriage is considered an accepted age old practice despite being banned by the Government.
Following her dream – Since the decision, Alisha is back to college as she plans to finish her education and then look for employment opportunities. In her words,”The experience has made me confident, self-reliant, knowledgeable and courageous.” ”Women and girls should not be confined to their homes, kitchens or the fields. They are not machines, just meant to sew or bear children. They deserve an education, the chance to be more.” Thanks to the dedication and determination of Alisha and her adolescent group, we are hopeful that the small group of chirpy and boisterous village girls who gather around them will have a brighter and safer future.