Ahanna

Four years ago, 12-year-old Ahanna’s family moved from their rural village in India’s eastern Bihar state to Delhi, the country’s bustling capital and one of the world’s largest cities. The need to survive as well as pay off a large debt lead her rather to a job in a spice factory, while her two older brothers managed to find work in a shoe factory.

Ahanna and her younger siblings stayed at home with their mother, playing around their community, often passing their time in the streets. One day while they were out playing, a member of CHETNA’s street educator team, Nisha, met Ahanna. Upon speaking to her mum, Nisha learned that in Bihar, Ahanna had attended school up until Year 4. However, when the family arrived in Delhi, Ahanna’s parents didn’t know the different system for school enrollment, and despite their best efforts to speak to teachers, they were unable to get any support so Ahanna could attend classes again.

Upon learning this, Nisha helped the family arrange all the necessary documents so that Ahanna could enrol in school, including her Aadhar identity card, and guided them through the process.

In addition to this, Nisha invited Ahanna to start attending some of CHETNA’s general outreach activities through their STRIPE project. One of these was a 10-day series of self-defence training for 150 girls who were living or working on the streets in Ahanna’s community.

“I was eager to go to the training every day because it was provided for my protection so that I can defend myself. We girls often face issues of eve-teasing.” Ahanna

"Groups of boys often pass abusive comments too like ‘How much will it cost to spend one night?’ Before, we were unable to respond because it came as a shock for all of us. There are plenty of incidents like that and it made me feel very afraid. But after attending the self-defence training, I have this confidence in myself that from now on, if any such incident happens again, I will be able to revert back to them with much more bravery so they never tease another girl.

One example is that just a few days ago, when we were going back home from CHETNA’s learning centre, a group of boys started passing vulgar comments on our character and using abusive words, asking ‘Will you go with me for a night?’

In response, we shouted at them and showed them we know how to defend ourselves. Seeing such a response from girls, the group of boys just ran away. This act boosted a lot of confidence in all of us. We’ve also responded to alcoholic men who have used abusive language and commented on our physical appearance too which has surprised them.

Attending the training was a great experience. I really appreciated that the self-defence trainer was polite and taught us all the self-defence techniques very nicely. I made new friends in this training. We were taught techniques like punch attacks, fist attacks, fingertips attacks, elbow attacks, palm attacks, blocks at the basic level. I practise all the moves at home too and can name them all as well.”

“Before, I also feared going alone in quiet places. Now the way we handle such situations I often wonder if I wish I had known all this earlier.” Ahanna