#PeopleOfDonatekart: Meet Dolly Aswani

“When I look back at school and college, it’s been filled with ups and downs. I wasn’t a great student and until the eighth grade, my marks were below average. I got bullied a lot for that and for how I looked. Everyone else around me was pretty and smart, and I would come to school with braids and oil in my hair. I didn’t mind that, I didn’t mind who I was. But everyone around me did. When the bullying got too much, I realised I had to do something… I had to show people that I’m capable too. I put in the hard work, I studied and I topped my district in class 9 and 10. That’s when I knew that I was a resilient person. It built my confidence and braced me for what was to come.

It wasn’t long before I was studying to become an engineer — one of the two paths I ‘had’ to choose as a topper. But it was in my last semester that I realised this isn’t for me. I then started working at the women’s empowerment cell in Banasthali, and that’s when I realised what I wanted to do with my life. While I was the one teaching the women there, it was me who learnt so much from them. And that’s when my journey began. I volunteered and interned with a few NGOs, worked with the Ministry of Women & Child Development and even won a grant from Kevin Hart! There’s been no looking back. I’m dedicated to doing my bit to help women and children overcome their challenges, and I’m grateful I get to do this through Donatekart.

I’ve found strength in spirituality, yoga and meditation through it all. It’s made me stronger, and it’s helped me continue fighting the good fight. I’m the first graduate from my family and I hope that I’ve in some way helped the younger ones. Maybe they won’t have to fight as much to pursue their dreams.

12-year-old Dolly Aswani would’ve never imagined that she’d be this person one day. I think she would be proud, though.”

- Dolly Aswani, Business Development Associate