Rajeshwari Machender's Journey From An Indian Slum To Fulfilling Her Dream Of Studying Abroad

There are stories that inspire you to not just dream but also go above and beyond to fulfil them. Rajeshwari Machender's story is one such anecdote.

In this meaningful conversation with SheThePeople, Rajeshwari Machender recalls her life living in the slums, how she got the courage to break free, why education matters most to her, and what it takes to take charge of one's life.

Rajeshwari Machender Journey

“My journey seems like a movie to me! From the wide fields of my hometown in Dappur, Telangana to watching the tower of London. It’s nothing less than a dream.

I was 10 years old & used to live with my grandma until she passed away. Loneliness and grief gripped me. I moved to Mumbai with my parents. There, I somehow managed to get admission to a Kannada medium school. I suddenly found myself standing in the throbbing city, of Bombay!

Initially, I struggled with the new language, but I made a choice. A choice not to give up! And I believe life is all about the choices we make. Those days were tough for us. My parents used to stay on construction sites in the crowded and poorly built slums & used to work as daily wage labourers on those construction sites.

My summer vacations were not about attending summer camps, rather days passed thinking ‘mujhe aapna career banana hai!’ To pay my school fees, I started working as a maid. And I did not for a single moment avert from working at different houses. I gathered money to pay for my next year's school fees. This is how I completed my schooling and then I went to college.

During my college days, I started working part-time at a hospital. I used to rush to the hospital after my college. A continuous hustle from 6 pm to midnight.

But this juggle exhausted me soon. In my second year (12th) I dropped out of college & started working at a private institute as a counsellor. After working hard and honing my skills, I finally got a job at a reputed company. But I was not a graduate and that became a setback for me.

Keeping everything in the backdrop, in 2018, I decided to pursue my higher education. I joined the college in Mumbai. It was all because of my self-belief and hope. I remember telling my grandma, ‘ek din main bhi college jaungi’. Something said so carelessly became my reality.

My family moved to Hyderabad but I stayed in Bombay. I decided to make another choice. This time a little bigger. Studying abroad!

In 2020 I started my applications & after many rejections from Universities, In 2022, I finally got accepted! And realised,
‘sapne sach hote hain, ye sunna tha aur aaj yakeen bhi hogaya!’”

Narrated by Rajeshwari Machender. Written and edited by Misha, Team SheThePeople

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