Jashmin Shekh

Jashmin is a 19-year-old educator, social campaigner and changemaker fighting to end child marriage and uplift young girls through education. Her story is a testament to resilience, courage, and the transformative power of hope.

Jashmin was forced into marriage when she was 16 years old. She endured a life of domestic servitude and was deprived of an opportunity to go to school or express her opinions. Jashmin decided to leave the marriage, defying the societal shame that came with divorce. Through a local NGO’s support, she re-enrolled in education programs and balanced school with daily odd jobs she had to do to support her family.

Today, through her initiative Shiksha Sankalp (Education Resolve), she mentors 45 girls at risk of child marriage, helping them navigate societal pressures and stay in school. She collaborates with local authorities to strengthen child marriage prevention policies, advocating for stricter enforcement of laws and better protection for vulnerable girls. Her community engagement extends to creating early warning systems to identify at-risk girls, training youth volunteers across 12 villages to intervene before marriages are finalized.

Jashmin aims to complete her bachelor’s degree in Social Work and establish a resource center offering legal aid, counseling, and vocational training to survivors. By 2030, she envisions founding a residential school where girls escaping early marriages can reclaim their education and rebuild their lives. Long-term, she plans to influence national policy, ensuring no girl is robbed of her childhood or her right to learn.