As a 15-year-old girl living in a slum community in India, Aasha felt unsure about herself and her future. But now, with educational support from sponsorship, her life is being transformed from the inside out. 

Every day, 15-year-old Aasha* dreaded one part of her school day. As many girls her age in India had already dropped out — either because of early marriage or to help support their family — Aasha felt fortunate to even attend school in the first place. But there was still something that made her stomach drop and her cheeks redden... When her teacher asked her to read from her textbook in class.

Not because she forgot her textbook. And not because she couldn’t read from it. But because, you see, Aasha could not afford textbooks.