iPhone portrait of Keshanta Gujar, 16. “To my colleagues and other girls I want to say that you too must study. I think that even kids can say no to their parents for marriage,” said Gujar.

The children in this series took part in the Center for Unfolding Learning Potential’s (CULP) ‘Pehchan Project’ for educating out-of-school girls (in age group of 9 – 14 years) in villages throughout Tonk, Jaipur and Banswara districts in the Indian state of Rajasthan. They have been able to mainstream well over 1000 girls into formal schools after graduating from their bridge courses. To help the children participate, CULP teachers and program officers often meet with families to discuss and address their needs and reasons for keeping the kids out of school. In addition, CULP holds informal community forums for adolescent girls in 27 different villages throughout Rajasthan.