Mili Biswas (name changed) is in Class 11 and hopes to become a police officer. Her younger brother, now in Class 8, is continuing his education too. For their mother, making sure both children can stay in school and pursue their ambitions has become a driving force as she works to rebuild the family’s financial security.
After her husband’s death, she was left to manage household expenses and raise two children without a stable source of income. The financial strain placed the siblings at risk of institutionalization, highlighting the need for timely support to help the family remain together.
The family came to the attention of the team through an Anganwadi worker’s village-level outreach. Home visits and coordination with the Gram Panchayat helped identify the family’s needs and explore ways to strengthen its livelihood, improve access to social protection and secure better housing. One important step was helping Mili’s mother access a job card, enabling her to take up wage employment. She used part of her earnings to buy two goats. Over time, the herd grew to nine, creating an additional source of income for the household. What began as a small investment has become one part of her effort to support her children and manage household expenses.
Alongside livelihood support, the team helped the family navigate access to government schemes and essential documentation in coordination with the Gram Panchayat. Scheduled Caste certificates, ABHA cards and Ayushman cards were secured for the mother and children, and the family’s ration card was updated. Documents for her labour card application were submitted through a Common Service Centre. She has also been receiving a widow pension for the past year.
Together, these livelihood opportunities and social protection linkages have contributed to a substantial change in the household’s finances. The mother’s reported monthly income has risen from approximately ₹2,500 before the programme’s intervention to ₹15,000 today, giving her greater capacity to meet household needs and support her children’s education. The family’s living conditions are also set to improve. With housing assistance accessed through the Gram Panchayat under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, construction of a new home is underway. For the family, this marks another step towards a more secure living environment.
Both siblings continue their studies and have received educational materials through the programme. Sponsorship applications were submitted for them two years ago. According to information received from the District Child Protection Officer, the application for Mili’s brother has been approved, and he is expected to begin receiving ₹4,000 in sponsorship assistance shortly.
Mili’s ambition to become a police officer remains her own to pursue. What has changed is the support available around her: her mother has additional sources of income, access to social protection has improved, and a new home is taking shape. These changes are helping the family look ahead with greater stability while the children continue growing up with their mother.
The family’s experience illustrates how timely identification, stronger livelihoods and access to existing government services can help address the circumstances that place children at risk of separation. By working with families and local systems, prevention efforts can help create the conditions children need to remain in parental care and continue building their futures.