Female students from rural communities in the Telugu states display their awards during the ‘STEMming Strong – Breaking Barriers to Building Breakthroughs’ program organized by Child Rights and You (CRY) ahead of International Women’s Day 2026 highlighting girls’ participation in STEM education in Hyderabad on Saturday. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
B. Bhargavi, who works as a branch postmaster in Andhra Pradesh, took the train for the first time this year, ahead of International Women’s Day.
A resident of Madanapalle, she is the daughter of an auto driver father and a daily wage laborer mother.
“During COVID-19, I had to quit my studies and stay at home. I tried different methods to earn a living. I made photo frames and sold them. And later I got a job in a jewelry store as a cashier,” she said at the STEMming Strong — Breaking Barriers to Building Breakthroughs event organized by Child Rights and You, a You, a You, a You, and You, and You, and You.
She worked as a cashier, applied for a job at India Post and got it. Her ordeal was far from over. As a postal worker, she had to travel long distances to promote the ministry’s plans.
“People discouraged me, saying I was a girl and I couldn’t do it. Some even threatened me. I couldn’t even ride a bike,” said Bhargavi.
She did what would be considered impossible for a girl. She walked 10 kilometers a day for 20 days, communicating with people and explaining the scheme.
Bhargavi, who also taught at a government school after work, was one of the many girls who CRY praised as “successful girls” ahead of Women’s Day.
Velagala Nandini, a Dalat girl from Kapileswarapuram village in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, was a high school handball champion.
“It was a struggle to complete my intermediate because there was only one bus that went to where our college was located. My parents were too poor and reluctant to fund my studies, but I convinced them. I was inspired to study further just by being exposed to the STEM lab set up at our school. I even got into NCC without any tests because of my sports background,” she said.
Gurramkonda Ganitha of Madanapalle lives with her mother after her father passed away two years ago. A family income of ₹3,000 per week is too low to nurture any dreams of making it big in life. But the establishment of a STEM lab at her school changed her perspective. She now wishes to study botany and become a teacher and inspire children “like APJ Abdul Kalam”.
CRY, in collaboration with local NGO partners, has set up 64 STEM labs in government schools in four South Indian states, AP, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to encourage children from poor socio-economic backgrounds to take an interest in science, technology and related courses.
The labs provide hands-on, interactive science and technology education to children in underserved communities to bridge the digital divide. The initiatives are aimed at promoting STEM education for girls, CRY-South Regional Director John Roberts said in explaining the purpose of the program.
Published – 07 March 2026 19:51 IST
