Building Brighter Futures: How the Veerni Project Empowers Girls in India – and How Acumen Helps Make It Happen

Every year on 20th November, the world comes together to celebrate World Children’s Day — a moment to recognise the rights, hopes, and potential of every child. At Acumen, we’re proud to support the Veerni Project, a remarkable initiative transforming the lives of girls in rural Rajasthan, India.

Empowering Girls Through Education and Opportunity

Since 1993, the Veerni Project has worked to ensure that girls from disadvantaged communities can grow up educated, healthy, and confident. Through its two flagship programmes –  the Veerni Institute and Veerni Balika – the organisation provides quality education, healthcare, nutrition, and life skills to more than 100 girls each year from remote desert villages around Jodhpur.

The results speak volumes. In 2024–2025, Veerni achieved a 100% exam pass rate, In addition, Veerni provides mentorship, leadership training, and career guidance — helping girls explore pathways in nursing, STEM, and the Armed Forces through India’s Agniveer Scheme.

Each girl at Veerni represents a story of resilience and hope — breaking barriers, delaying child marriage, and inspiring others in her community to dream bigger. In fact, child marriage rates among Veerni girls have dropped from 64% in 2015 to just 22% today, proving how education can change lives for generations.

Mamta’s Story: From Rural Rajasthan to Nursing Officer

One of Veerni’s many success stories is Mamta. Mamta joined the Veerni Project as a young girl from a small village near Jodhpur. Like many others in her community, she faced limited access to education and the pressures of early marriage.

At the Veerni Institute, Mamta found a safe and supportive environment where she could focus on her studies and grow in confidence. Guided by Veerni’s teachers and mentors, she pursued her passion for healthcare and went on to train as a Nursing Officer.

Today, Mamta’s success stands as a beacon of what’s possible when girls are given the opportunity to learn and lead. Earlier this year, she returned to speak at the Veerni Run in Delhi, where she shared her inspiring journey with participants from 15 countries.

“Veerni gave me the strength to dream and the support to make that dream real. Without education, I would never have found my voice. Today, as a Nursing Officer, I can help others and show girls like me that their future can be different.”

— Mamta, Veerni Alumna

Her story moved everyone in the room — a powerful reminder that every investment in a girl’s education creates ripples of change across families and communities.

Creating Lasting Change, One Girl at a Time

In 2024, construction began on a new Veerni Institute in Jodhpur — a modern campus that will soon house and educate 150 girls. This space will include classrooms, labs, dormitories, and recreation areas, designed to offer a safe and nurturing environment where every girl can thrive.

Veerni’s outreach programmes also extend into villages, reopening literacy centres for younger girls and helping prepare them for future schooling. It’s all part of Veerni’s mission: to educate, empower, and enable every girl to lead a life of dignity and opportunity.

Acumen’s Role: Turning Compassion Into Action

Acumen is proud to stand beside Veerni as a long-term partner, helping raise awareness and funds to expand its impact. Through initiatives globally – like the Veerni Run/Walk in Delhi, organised in collaboration with APAIE and Shiv Nadar School – Acumen teams and partners from around the world have come together to make a difference.

The Veerni Runs not only raise funds but also connect people globally around one shared belief — that education is the most powerful driver of equality and opportunity.

These efforts — along with local fundraising events, awareness campaigns, and community support — help ensure that more girls in Rajasthan can access education, healthcare, and hope for the future.

Together for Every Child

World Children’s Day reminds us that every child deserves safety, education, and the chance to dream freely. The Veerni Project embodies these values – and Acumen is honoured to help bring its vision to life.

By investing in girls, we invest in stronger communities and a brighter, fairer world for all.

This World Children’s Day, we celebrate the courage, determination, and dreams of the Veerni girls – and the power of education to transform futures.