What is your name? What is your age? What is your village?
- Sobha Dheru. I am 17, from Rajwa. I am married. I was married at 8 years old. My husband is illiterate. He is now 19. He’s okay. I have not joined him yet.
When did you come to the hostel?
- I’ve been here for six months.
Describe your family. Describe the family members, who they are, their ages, etc. Tell how it is to live with your family. What were the hardships and challenges that you faced, living at home?
- I have two brothers, 23 and 15. One sister, 21. My mother and father, my grandparents and my sister-in-law. My mother is illiterate. My father is a stone cutter. He travels by bicycle 30 kilometers to work.
What did you do before you came to the hostel? Work? Study?
- I went to Rajwa Primary school from age 5 to 10. After the fifth grade, my father gave me money for books, which I bought with the help of my grandmother. I self-studied up to the tenth grade. Veerni was looking in my village, searching for new villages to support. The social-scientist met me and offered me the hostel to continue my studies. I want to complete the grade twelve.
What challenges do you encounter here at the hostel?
- I miss my mother.
Do you like the hostel, the school? In what ways do you like or dislike them?
- I study well here. I have really no dislikes. I love the hostel life.
What makes you happy?
- I’m happy when I receive high marks. (She emphasizes that she studies VERY hard.)
- It would make me happy to be able to help poor women to raise their status.
If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
- Independence.
- My parents and husband to be happy.
- That my husband have a good job.
What would you like to do in the future?
- I want my future children to have an education.
What is your favorite thing?
- My mother and father, and studying.
What would you have if you could have anything in the world?
- Two girls.
- A wonderful home.
- A smart husband.
- A car.
- I want to help poor women.
Tell me about your mother.
- She’s very frank with me. We talk about everything.
What makes you cry?
- I’m sad when others are sad.