Deepa Kumari Shah
Peer Group Leader
July 2019
"I live in a family of eight- my father, mother, grandfather, two younger brothers, two younger sisters, and me. All my younger siblings study in private schools. My father had studied till eighth grade and has been working in a rice mill ever since I was born. My mother is not educated. She looks after our family.
I was studying in a private school till grade four and used to come first and second in my class. But due to my financial condition, I joined a government school. My academic performance was good, so I was upgraded to grade eight from five. I had studied computer to some extent in my school so when I took the exam for Peer Group Leader (PGL), I passed it easily. We also had to write and talk in English to get selected as a PGL. I gave my best. Later, I came to know I was selected as a PGL and here I am today attending this training.
My father was extremely happy when he heard the news and said, “good for my daughter if she can learn more”.
I plan to continue my studies and become a doctor in the future. My parents always tell me that they will support my dream. They could not study due to limited resources, but they always encourage me to study more as they say “education” can make me economically independent leading to a better life that they could not have."
Deepa is undergoing Peer Group Leader Training under the British Council’s English and Digital for Girls’ Education Project. After a five-day training, she will go back to her school and set up EDGE clubs and support other girls to learn English, improve their digital literacy and social skills. She says, she is more confident compared to her first day of the training and has developed the confidence to guide other peers through the learning materials. She thinks the learning environment will encourage more learning. This learning behaviour will help her to become a doctor one day.
