A summer in the late 2000s. In Chalagi village in Jharkhand, a little girl held her father’s hand and sprinted through mango orchards. They stopped every few minutes; every villager they passed wanted to exchange pleasantries with her father. He was the village head and well-loved by everyone. On one such excursion, little Anjani decided to grow up and do something that would help people, just like her father did.
The dreaded pandemic year of 2021. Having completed her schooling, Anjani stumbled upon a volunteering opportunity offered by the Jharkhand chapter of the Collectives for Integrated Livelihood Initiatives (CInI), a humanitarian organisation. For five months, Anjani taught English, Hindi, and Mathematics to students from Classes 1 to 7. Her seniors at CInI introduced her to Sajhe Sapne, a not-for-profit organisation based in Himachal Pradesh. They offer three courses–Rural Development and Management, Web Development, and Primary Maths–to women from villages.
Anjani and friends at Sajhe Sapne, Himachal Pradesh
Anjani’s decision to leave for Himachal Pradesh was met with gasps from all sides. But one person stood his ground that she should be able to navigate her own life, her father. Thus, backed by his faith in her, she completed a nine-month-long course in Rural Development and Management. “Thanks to Sajhe Sapne, I learned the art of storytelling, mastered different approaches to problem solving, expanded my interpersonal skills, and mustered the courage to travel on my own,” she says. ”Staying in a hostel with 20 girls taught me camaraderie and compassion. I am also the first woman from my village to be financially independent at such a young age.”
In December 2022, she joined as a team member at Sajhe Sapne. She handled the organisation’s social media handles, conducted surveys, researched trends, and created content. Anjani also coordinated monthly alumni meets and initiated online interactions with alumni. In August this year, Anjani stumbled upon an opportunity with aikyam space. Her decision to move away once again to a distant land was met with anxiety from most people around her. Determined, Anjani persisted, and yet again, her father’s unwavering trust in her decision came to the rescue. Soon, she joined her friend from Sajhe Sapne, Megha, at aikyam.
As the 21-year-old moved to Kochi as a Space Manager, one would expect her to be rightfully daunted to embrace such a huge change. However, Anjani was far from apprehensive; as she puts it, “I thought, even if I am unable to deliver as expected, I would get to learn something new.” Now, she coordinates events and workshops at the space, taking various factors and logistics into consideration. She assists guests visiting the space–usually changemakers and volunteers who want to work in the social impact sector–and ensures that their needs are met. Her responsibilities also extend to managing the library and its digital counterpart using Bookstack, tracking expenses and payments, and designing banners using Canva. Juggling her varied responsibilities, she has mastered problem-solving, public speaking, and interpersonal communication. “I used to have trouble communicating with unfamiliar people. But aikyam has helped me learn the art of effective communication,” she says.
“When I came here for the first time, I had only a vague idea of what exactly my responsibilities and aikyam’s needs were. Now, I have found a space for myself here and I owe that to the helpful and amiable environment at aikyam. Despite all the differences between my background and this place, at no point have I felt that I am in a new space. The team is effortlessly supportive and inspires me to learn from my mistakes. Moreover, assisting non-profits that work for the betterment of the rural population and the climate, among many other things, imparts a sense of contentment to me,” she says.
Our Pillars
When asked about her dreams, she says that she wishes to help the women in her village be able to take their careers more seriously rather than confining themselves to the household sphere. “Every time I return home, I notice with disappointment that they are neither encouraged to pursue opportunities nor are they aware of the possibilities before them. I see them repeating their mothers’ lives without a second thought. I want them to learn how to fight for themselves,” Anjani confidently shares her vision for herself, entwined with that for her sisterhood.
I believe that in a few years, she will indeed be able to topple the narrative in her village and follow in her father’s footsteps of social service. After all, she is the first person from her village to have depicted the women in her village in writing. She further cements my faith in her by ending our conversation with a mention of the three values she holds close. ‘Dil Ki’ (of the heart), ‘Sachhi’ (truth), and ‘Ziddi’ (stubbornness). She is indeed a living embodiment of her values.
Anjani Sanga is the Space Manager at aikyam space. She makes the journeys of changemakers easier by assisting them with all things related to the space. Alongside her professional responsibilities at aikyam, she is pursuing a Bachelor’s in English Honours from the Indira Gandhi National Open University. You can connect with her here.
