My Journey as a Janaagrahi: Finding Purpose in Community Change
Sonam Yadav
Senior Associate – Civic Learning
I still remember the day that changed everything. A government school principal approached me with a desperate plea: “Our students have no mathematics teacher for their board exams. Could you help?” That single question redirected my entire life’s trajectory.
As an army child who had moved frequently throughout my childhood, I’d developed an innate curiosity about different communities and cultures. My love for science and technology had carried me through graduation, and I’d begun teaching at my sister’s coaching institute. Yet something was missing—a deeper purpose that would truly ignite my passion.
Teaching those government school students as a volunteer opened my eyes. The joy I felt when they achieved 100% results in that subject was indescribable. More importantly, I glimpsed the stark challenges within our education system and discovered non-profit organizations working to transform these realities. Without hesitation, I leapt into the development sector, beginning a journey that has now spanned seven rewarding years.
My fieldwork has taken me to some of India’s most remote areas—villages in Uttarakhand where life moves at a different pace and the aspirational districts of Jharkhand where I witnessed sobering realities. I’ll never forget seeing women spending entire days making bidis while their husbands worked as migrant laborers in distant cities. Children dropped out of school because colleges were too far away and roads barely existed. These experiences weren’t just eye-opening—they were heart-opening, cementing my commitment to create meaningful change.
During the pandemic, I found purpose in organizing COVID-19 response efforts and setting up remedial classes for students without access to electronic devices. Each small victory reinforced that systemic change requires both policy frameworks and grassroots implementation—a delicate dance of vision and execution.
Six months ago, I found my home at Janaagraha. After working at a CSR firm where I craved more direct community engagement, Janaagraha offered exactly what I was seeking—authentic connections with people and the opportunity to witness transformation firsthand.
Working with the civic learning program has brought moments of pure inspiration. Recently, a group of young girls shared how they had taken initiative to clean their littered street, which then motivated their entire community to maintain the space. The pride illuminating their faces as they told their story captured the essence of what we do—empowering citizens to create the change they wish to see.
What makes Janaagraha’s Civic Learning Program special is the approach to sustainable solutions. Through this program, we don’t impose answers; instead, we create space for communities to develop their own solutions. This philosophy recognizes that lasting change must come from within—from people who understand their unique challenges and have the agency to address them.
Every day, I witness how policy intersects with implementation, how education shapes civic consciousness, and how empowered communities can transform their surroundings. In a world facing increasing inequality, rapid digitalization, and disruptions from climate change and pandemics, our work building resilient frameworks for citizen participation has never been more vital.
As I continue my journey as a Janaagrahi, I’m grateful for each conversation with stakeholders, each student who discovers their power as an active citizen, and each community that rises to address its challenges. This isn’t just a job—it’s a calling that connects my personal passion for education and research work with my deepest desire to contribute to a more equitable society.
The road ahead may be challenging, but when I see the spark in a young person’s eyes as they realize their potential to shape their world, I know this is exactly where I’m meant to be.