"I started seeing myself through my own eyes, rather than through other people's."
At 22, RASHMI RANI is living a life she once feared she'd never get to choose.
"She grew up in Farda, a small village in Munger, Bihar, in a family with limited resources but a strong belief in education. Her father has been unwell and is not able to work, leaving her mother, an Anganwadi worker & now Rashmi herself as the ones earning a living for the family."
Around age 14, Rashmi first noticed "white patches" appearing on her skin. She assumed they were temporary, but the vitiligo spread, and despite multiple doctors and treatments, nothing stopped it.
By 18, Rashmi’s condition had become a growing concern for her family, who began looking for a match early, fearing the visible patches would make marriage harder later. She faced a defining choice: accept the future being planned for her, or stand on her own feet.
She chose the second. But at 18, with her education paused and confidence fading, it wasn’t easy. “I was even afraid to introduce myself,” she recalls. “I thought people would judge me before hearing what I had to say.”
Then she found about I-Saksham Education and Learning Foundation two-year Leadership Development Fellowship. The change came through small, everyday steps, taking responsibility, making decisions, speaking up, and learning from mistakes. She learned Non-Violent Communication, worked with adolescent girls in her community, and built skills in facilitation and mentoring.
The transformation soon reflected in her choices. She returned to education and is now in her fourth semester of a BA in Hindi Honours. She also completed Startup Bihar’s 100-day Entrepreneurship Course, wrote 30+ stories, and created videos featuring 15 Change Leaders.
After the Fellowship, Rashmi continued with i-Saksham as a Communication Buddy, engaging with adolescent girls and women, listening to their experiences, and sharing their stories through social media. There’s a quiet irony in that, communication is now her work, though she once feared even introducing herself.
People still notice her skin and some still comment, but their reactions no longer define her. At 22, she travels independently, meets new people, and speaks openly about her journey.
She now dreams of pursuing a Master’s in Public Health and building a digital platform where more girls can share their stories.
Looking back, Rashmi knows her life could have gone very differently, without the chance to rebuild her confidence, she may have married early and lived a life shaped mostly by others' decisions. Instead, she's learning to shape it herself.
For Rashmi, "Voice and Choice for Every Woman" isn't an abstract idea. It's the confidence to speak, to negotiate, to keep studying, to work, to dream and ultimately, to decide.
"She grew up in Farda, a small village in Munger, Bihar, in a family with limited resources but a strong belief in education. Her father has been unwell and is not able to work, leaving her mother, an Anganwadi worker & now Rashmi herself as the ones earning a living for the family."
Around age 14, Rashmi first noticed "white patches" appearing on her skin. She assumed they were temporary, but the vitiligo spread, and despite multiple doctors and treatments, nothing stopped it.
By 18, Rashmi’s condition had become a growing concern for her family, who began looking for a match early, fearing the visible patches would make marriage harder later. She faced a defining choice: accept the future being planned for her, or stand on her own feet.
She chose the second. But at 18, with her education paused and confidence fading, it wasn’t easy. “I was even afraid to introduce myself,” she recalls. “I thought people would judge me before hearing what I had to say.”
Then she found about I-Saksham Education and Learning Foundation two-year Leadership Development Fellowship. The change came through small, everyday steps, taking responsibility, making decisions, speaking up, and learning from mistakes. She learned Non-Violent Communication, worked with adolescent girls in her community, and built skills in facilitation and mentoring.
The transformation soon reflected in her choices. She returned to education and is now in her fourth semester of a BA in Hindi Honours. She also completed Startup Bihar’s 100-day Entrepreneurship Course, wrote 30+ stories, and created videos featuring 15 Change Leaders.
After the Fellowship, Rashmi continued with i-Saksham as a Communication Buddy, engaging with adolescent girls and women, listening to their experiences, and sharing their stories through social media. There’s a quiet irony in that, communication is now her work, though she once feared even introducing herself.
People still notice her skin and some still comment, but their reactions no longer define her. At 22, she travels independently, meets new people, and speaks openly about her journey.
She now dreams of pursuing a Master’s in Public Health and building a digital platform where more girls can share their stories.
Looking back, Rashmi knows her life could have gone very differently, without the chance to rebuild her confidence, she may have married early and lived a life shaped mostly by others' decisions. Instead, she's learning to shape it herself.
For Rashmi, "Voice and Choice for Every Woman" isn't an abstract idea. It's the confidence to speak, to negotiate, to keep studying, to work, to dream and ultimately, to decide.
This story was told by Rashmi Rani and published with their permission by the What's Your Story editorial team.
