Kashish Sharma

  • Manzil Team
  • January 19, 2023
  • Jaipur

The daughter of a textile mill worker, 18-year-old Kashish Sharma of Gulapura village, Bhilwara district, always wanted to work in a hospital as a doctor. She has already made good on pursuing her goal and is General Duty Assistant at Jaipur.

Growing up in a family of meagre means — her father being the sole breadwinner — Kashish always knew her family could not afford the fees for her to study medicine. She also sought to contribute to her family’s expenses, given how hard her father had to work to make ends meet.

In March 2020, while she was awaiting her Class XII results, the COVID-19 Lockdown was declared, delaying her plans to go to college. At that time, Manzil’s Community Motivator, Kantha, visited the family and informed them about the courses that Kashish could pursue. She enrolled for General Duty Assistant Course online, which trains students in the practical aspects of hospital work — such as what to do in an emergency. In her first interview, Kashish qualified for a job at a local hospital, taking charge in May 2021.

After taking up the job, Kashish decided to move out of her home in Bhilwara and rent a room in Jaipur, sharing it with another course-mate. “It was Kantha didi’s assurance that convinced my parents that I would be fine in Jaipur. She helped me set up my new place, looking into things like electricity and water,” says Kashish.

Kashish, with the Rs 10,000 salary she gets per month, pays Rs 2,000 towards room rent, Rs 1,000 towards provident fund, and another Rs 1,000 towards other expenses and saves the remaining Rs 6,000 in her bank account.

Meanwhile, working as a General Duty Assistant, and providing care to patients, has been a life-changing experience. Her supportive work environment allows Kashish to learn from her team daily. This has also inspired her to upgrade her skills by pursuing a Lab Technician Course and, when she can afford it, a B.Sc.

Her parents stand by her and are not pushing her to get married. “If I did not have this job, I would have been married within two years,” she admits.