“My name is Payal Kumari, and I study in Class 8 in my village school,” begins a bright young girl whose story reflects the transformational impact of awareness and timely intervention. Payal’s family was struggling financially, and in desperation, her father decided to marry her off in Ambikapur city, Chhattisgarh. The wedding preparations had even begun when the police suddenly arrived at their house and took both Payal and her father to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
It was only then that Payal learned the police had acted upon information provided by the VEDIC Society, which had been working in her area to stop child marriages. During the hearing, the CWC President questioned her father, asking why he wanted to marry his daughter before the legal age. Her father replied that he was unaware of the law and was compelled by poverty, believing it was the only way to secure her future.
Payal bravely told the CWC that she did not wish to marry and wanted to continue her education. She also understood the physical and emotional harm caused by child marriage. At this point, Pankaj Bhaiya, a worker from the VEDIC Society, assured the CWC that Payal could be supported through a sponsorship program to help her pursue her studies.
Encouraged by this support, her father gave a written undertaking to the CWC President, pledging that he would allow Payal to study as long as she wished and would not arrange her marriage before she turned eighteen. The CWC accepted his apology, and father and daughter returned home relieved but transformed.
Soon after, VEDIC Society guided her father in preparing the required documents for sponsorship—ID proof, income certificate, and other essentials. They also ensured that he signed an affidavit, along with local ward members, taking an oath against child marriage.
Today, Payal is continuing her studies and dreams of a brighter, independent future. She says with pride, “I am thankful to the VEDIC Society for saving my future from becoming dark. I will stand up against social evils like child marriage and child abuse and help protect children like me.”