There's no greater freedom than finding your purpose, says education advocate Ashweetha. Born to a poor family in rural India, she didn't let the social norms of her community stifle her dreams and silence her voice. In this personal talk, she shares how she found self-worth through education -- and how she's working to empower other rural youth to explore their potential. "All of us are born into a reality that we blindly accept -- until something awakens us and a new world opens up," she says.

How education helped me rewrite my life

Breaking free from the limits set by poverty and tradition, a village girl in India taught her illiterate mother to write her name, sparking a lifelong quest for value and voice. Through determination and education, she overcame cultural expectations that labeled her a burden and became the first in her family to attend college. Her journey inspired others from similar backgrounds to pursue higher education and meaningful roles in their communities. Real change began when families saw their daughters return as empowered contributors, not liabilities.

Education Transforms Silence Into Self-Worth And Purpose

Education can break cycles of silence and invisibility, even in places where girls are told their lives hold little value. A young woman from rural India helped her mother write her name for the first time, inspiring a journey from feeling useless to empowering others. Surrounded by doubt and low expectations, she found purpose by pursuing learning and later founded an organization that uplifts rural youth. Her story shows how new realities emerge when people awaken to their worth and help others do the same.