One Device, One Chance: Young Changemaker is Keeping Kids in School

I recently came across a news article that shook me—a school topper took her own life because she couldn’t afford a laptop. I understood that pain all too well.I grew up in a slum. My father, a newspaper seller, worked tirelessly to save for my education. When I was 14, I needed a laptop to prepare for a competition, but we simply couldn’t afford one. All my friends had access to laptops through their parents, while my father had nothing more than a basic Nokia phone. So, I worked twice as hard, spending hours at a cybercafe after school. After a month of sleepless nights, I won that competition. That experience showed me firsthand how life-changing access to technology can be.

Now, with education shifting online, not having a device is no longer just an inconvenience—it’s a barrier. I knew I had to do something. I started with Instagram stories, and when my friends encouraged me, I launched a crowdfunding campaign. I spread the word relentlessly through social media and personal networks. Within a month, I raised Rs. 55,000. With that money, I bought 11 smartphones and distributed them to students in my community who were struggling to keep up with online classes.

One of my father’s friends, also a newspaper seller, told me about his daughter, Muskaan, who had to drop out because they couldn’t afford a device. When I handed her a phone, she hugged me and burst into tears. Another girl, Nisha, was forced to quit school after her father lost his job. Through my network, I soon began reaching out to struggling families in rural Uttar Pradesh, helping students there too.

Recently, I built a system where donors can directly connect with students and donate their old devices. In just one month, I’ve provided 41 smartphones to students across the country. Muskaan dreams of becoming a teacher; Nisha wants to be an IAS officer—and I couldn’t let something as small as a phone stand in the way of that.

I know what it’s like to be held back by circumstances. I know what it feels like to be dismissed before we’re even given a chance—as if where we’re born is where we’re meant to stay forever. But these kids don’t want pity. They just want opportunity—one chance to prove what they’re capable of. That’s all I’m trying to give them.