The Room That Held Her Dreams

A hostel room is more than a place to sleep. It is where friendships take shape, where books are opened late into the night, and where young people begin to imagine a life of their own. For Priti Kumari, her hostel years at Akhand Jyoti became a turning point. They marked the beginning of a journey from a young girl with a dream of becoming a doctor to a woman building her own future in healthcare.

Growing up, Priti watched her father, Pramod Yadav, work as a general physician. His profession inspired her to pursue medicine. But financial difficulties and a lack of proper guidance made that dream difficult to realise.

“I always dreamed of becoming a doctor and curing people like my father did. But things did not turn out the way I had imagined. Financial difficulties and a lack of guidance made it difficult for me to pursue that dream.”

On 14 August 2014, Priti joined Akhand Jyoti’s ‘Football to Eyeball’ Girls’ Empowerment Programme. Leaving home and settling into the hostel marked the beginning of a new chapter. Though her dream had taken a different path, she had found an opportunity to learn, develop skills and build a future in healthcare.

Learning to Find Her Own Way

Over the five year programme, Priti gained professional knowledge and gradually grew in confidence. The hostel became a place where she learnt to manage life independently, while her training helped her prepare for the world beyond it.

“I was still figuring things out. But with every new skill I learnt, I began to feel that I could build a future for myself.”

Her career took a different path from the one she had first imagined, but it brought her into the healthcare field. With employment came financial independence and the ability to support herself through her own work.

From Receiving Guidance to Guiding Others

Priti remembers what it felt like to be a young girl unsure of what lay ahead. That experience has shaped her hopes for the girls who are now beginning their own journeys.

“I know how much guidance can mean to a girl. I want other girls to feel that they, too, can achieve something with their lives.”

She hopes to encourage young people to pursue their ambitions and become more confident about their futures. For Priti, being a role model means showing them what is possible through her own journey.

A Future Still Taking Shape

Today, Priti is the Clinic Coordinator in the General Department at Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital. Alongside her professional responsibilities, she continues her education and works towards her longer term ambitions.

“I want to become a good leader, inspire young people and do something meaningful for my community. I know my journey is not over yet.”

The hostel room belongs to an earlier chapter of Priti’s life. It was where she began to find her own way, even when the future seemed uncertain. Today, she has built a career, gained independence and continues to pursue her dreams.

The girl who once arrived with questions about her future is now helping others believe in theirs. And there is still so much ahead of her.