GIRL LEADERS' STORIES
KAVITHA
Pudiyador, Tamil Nadu
Kavitha, a single mother of two, is a committed Council Leader at KickOff Solutions, an anchor of strength, leadership, and resilience in her community. After having to pause her education years ago, she has now resumed her studies with support from KickOff Solutions’ Higher Education Fund and is currently pursuing a B.A. in English from Madras University. “The fellowship stipend and therapy sessions truly supported me when I needed it most,” she reflects.
Kavitha is deeply engaged in KickOff Solution’s Mental Health Upskilling and Safeguarding programs, travelling all the way to Lucknow to participate at the 2025 convening, Ignite. Through regular one-on-one therapy and continuous learning, she has navigated personal challenges with courage, emerging stronger, more self-aware, and more determined than ever.
Her leadership extends into her village as well. During the Solve Ninja Program in May 2024, she mobilised 20 students for a community cleanup drive, trained 65–70 villagers in waste segregation, and petitioned local officials for improved waste management systems.
Beyond her community initiatives, Kavitha also runs Rural Harvest, a small home-grown venture where she prepares idli and dosa podi using natural herbs. Initially, she hoped to sell her products widely within her community, but limited local demand and a lack of online selling knowledge made it challenging to scale. As a result, she has temporarily paused regular operations. Today, she prepares podi only on request—making each batch fresh for customers who reach out to her personally.
Alongside this, Kavitha serves as a frisbee coach, guiding young girls and rural women to build confidence, develop life skills, and explore new possibilities through sport. The fellowship stipend has been instrumental in helping her manage her family’s expenses while she continues her education and deepens her community leadership.
Reflecting on her journey with KickOff Solutions, she shares:
“The bimonthly meetings at KickOff have always given me a lot, I felt the warmth and support that I didn't receive from my own family.”
#BREAKINGBARRIERS
RASHMI
Playquity, Assam
Rashmi, from a small village in Assam’s Dhemaji district, is a powerful example of resilience and transformation. After the loss of her mother and grandmother, she took full responsibility for managing her home. She now lives with her father, who has speech and hearing impairments; they communicate largely through gestures and raised voices. Despite these challenges, Rashmi has grown into a confident, responsible young changemaker and now serves as a Council Leader at KickOff Solutions.
Her journey took a remarkable turn in 2023 when she boarded a plane for the first time to attend a national sports training camp, fulfilling a dream she had cherished since childhood.
Rashmi has completed several Skilling Programs through KickOff Solutions, including Safeguarding Training and Mental Health Upskilling Sessions. These programs have equipped her with the knowledge to protect herself and others, speak up in unsafe situations, ask for help when needed, and support her peers with greater awareness.
In May 2024, as part of the Solve Ninja Program, she identified the issue of poor road conditions and waste accumulation in her village. She met with the village secretary to recommend hiring community cleaners and, along with six friends, created eco-friendly bamboo dustbins that were installed across the village to promote cleanliness and responsible waste management.
Rashmi also travelled to Lucknow to attend the annual KickOff Solutions convening, Ignite, where she actively participated, engaging confidently with facilitators and peers.Once shy and hesitant to speak during online sessions, Rashmi now leads with courage. She takes initiative whenever an issue arises in her village and guides others on safeguarding practices, ensuring her community stays informed and protected.
Recently, she shared that she and a group of young people have formed a community collective of 22 members. While the village secretary is not directly involved, he is regularly updated on their progress. Together, the group works to prevent harmful behaviours among minors, such as alcohol use by speaking with parents and raising awareness across the community.
Rashmi says KickOff Solutions has been a steady source of strength throughout her journey. With support from KickOff, she has been able to continue her education. Whenever she faces difficulties, academic challenges or personal concerns she reaches out for guidance, encouragement, and reassurance. KickOff stands by her at every step, helping her move forward with confidence
#BREAKINGBARRIERS
MUNNA
MJAS, Rajasthan
Munna Vaishnav, from Padampura village in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district, is a passionate football player, youth coach, and rising changemaker. She is currently pursuing her first year of B.A.
Munna studied in her village school only until Class 8. To continue her education, she had to travel to Makad village, nearly 5 kilometers away. For the past four years, she has been playing football and has even completed her AIFF D License, an achievement that now allows her to coach both boys and girls in her community.
But her journey has not been easy. In her village, schooling for girls was limited to Class 8, and parents strongly believed that girls should not step outside the village to study. “If she goes out, she’ll go astray,” people often said. The road to school was deserted, which made families even more hesitant to send their daughters.
When Munna began playing football, she faced resistance from almost everyone.
Many believed girls should stay home and focus on household work. Some even criticized her for wearing shorts while playing, claiming she was bringing shame to the family. Along with this social pressure, Munna also faced early marriage expectations, with people pushing her to stop studying and get married as soon as she “came of age.”
Despite all this, Munna refused to stop pursuing her dreams.
After joining KickOff Solutions, she found strong mentorship and a supportive community that stood with her. She learned how to continue her education while navigating family pressure, how to communicate openly with her parents, and how to take a stand against early marriage. She has become a pillar of support for her younger siblings and has developed strong leadership and problem-solving skills.
Through KickOff Solutions, Munna has participated in Gender Workshops and the Solve Ninja Program, where she connected with girls from across India and deepened her understanding of gender discrimination. In September 2025, she travelled to Lucknow to attend the annual KickOff Solutions convening, Ignite where she engaged in discussions on safeguarding and mental health. She now shares this awareness with girls in her village encouraging them to study, play sports, and believe in their abilities.
Today, Munna continues her B.A. studies while coaching children, advocating for girls’ rights, and inspiring others to follow their dreams.
Munna says,
“Football taught me courage, now I’m helping others play, learn, and believe in themselves.”
#BREAKINGBARRIERS
MONALISA
WAY Foundation, Meghalaya
Monalisa, from Barapathar village in Meghalaya, is a dedicated student, part-time teacher, and emerging community leader who uses sports and education to empower girls. Growing up in a community where girls were rarely encouraged to play, she faced strong resistance from parents and neighbours who believed that sports were “not for girls.”
However, Monalisa refused to accept these limits. She began visiting homes, speaking directly with parents, and motivating girls to join her on the football field, slowly shifting long-held mindsets in her village.
Her fight is against deeply rooted social norms that discourage girls from stepping outside traditional roles. Despite criticism and constant pressure, she chose courage over fear. Her greatest achievements are not medals and trophies, but her steady, determined effort to help other girls return to the field, pursue their dreams, and believe in their right to make their own choices.
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Today, Monalisa continues to grow as a changemaker and aspires to join the Gandhi Fellowship to deepen her work in social transformation.
Through KickOff Solutions, Monalisa found mentorship, financial support, and a safe space to learn and lead. She attended the Storytelling Workshop in 2024, where she learned to share her journey with confidence, and participated in the Solve Ninja Program, taking action on community issues through teamwork and problem-solving.
In September 2025, she travelled to Lucknow to attend the annual KickOff Solutions convening, Ignite, where she actively participated in discussions on safeguarding and mental health. Today, she guides young girls in her community to study, play, and dream freely.
Monalisa shares, “Earlier, I was just living a simple life. Now I’m living the life I want and helping other girls find their path too.”
#BREAKINGBARRIERS
ISHA
Slum Soccer
Defying Odds, Scoring Goals.
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In a patriarchal, financially challenged family, Isha's life was restricted to chores while her brother enjoyed better education. Her resilience led her to defy norms and play football, amidst neighborhood disapproval. Relocating to Nagpur after her father's job loss, she continued facing educational disparities.
Isha's turning point came with Slum Soccer, where she excelled in football and championed sports for girls in conservative areas. Her efforts and leadership earned her a KickOff Solutions scholarship, supporting her mathematics and statistics education and a computer purchase.
#BREAKINGBARRIERS
