More about Poonam
On Family Life
Poonam now lives with a married cousin because her home is close to Poonam's work. But Poonam says that, sometimes, she gets bored living with only four people. She often misses the clamor of life in her parent's tiny apartment where she once lived with her father, mother, brother, grandmother, and other relatives—10 people in all.
On Marriage
Poonam says she is well aware that her life will change after marriage. "The freedom will stop." She also says that she will insist that her husband let her continue her nursing career and that she hopes to marry a doctor.
On the Importance
of Life Skills
Poonam credits the health information she gained from the Life Skills classes she took for making her career path possible. But she says the information she gained from those classes on building self esteem and communications skills will also help her navigate situations in all aspects of her life—with her job, with her family, and with her future husband.
Poonam
age 15, unmarried in India
With the help and support of a large and loving family, Poonam is making her own way in the world. The path she follows is not easy. But, Poonam says, she loves every minute of her journey.
Poonam's family is quite poor. Her father, a cook, is unemployed. Her mother and grandmother do domestic work. When Poonam completed the 9th grade, her parents could not afford to keep her in school. Instead, they allowed Poonam to pursue her desire to train as a nurse's aid.
Poonam cooks a mealAnd, Poonam says, because she gained a great deal of health information in the Life Skills classes she took, she was able to pass the nurse's aid entrance exam with such high marks that she won a scholarship. That scholarship made it possible for her to enter the program.
Now each day Poonam volunteers at a local nursing home. She does not get paid. But Poonam says she loves her work because she is leaning so much and gaining the hands-on experience she needs to successfully complete her training. That will happen soon—and then the pay will come, she says.
Poonam with her familyPoonam plans to work for a time to help support her family and provide the means for her to advance to nurse's training. She does not want to get married any time soon, and her parents say they will not arrange a marriage without her consent because they hope to see Poonam achieve her dream.
Poonam's mother never went to school. That's one reason why she fully supports her daughter's education, she says. And she says she is very happy that Poonam will soon be a nurse's aid—and hopefully a nurse one day. Poonam's father says, "I would like to see her become a doctor!"