Place Bhiwandi, Mumbai

Age 9

Aliya lives in Bhiwandi, India with her parents, brother and 2 sisters. Due to financial hardship, her father was unable to make payments on his work vehicle (he was a driver) and his vehicle was seized. This resulted in the children dropping out of private school. Aliya’s mother does pearl beading at home earning $24 a month to meet the needs of their family.

Aliya’s mother did not want her children to be deprived of an education, so when she learned about Udaan from her neighbors, she quickly enrolled them. Aliya attends Udaan with her younger sister, and brother, and her older sister is enrolled in Udaan’s cosmetology school.

Aliya has set her sights on pursuing a career in medicine. Her academic performance is outstanding; she was recently ranked first in her class. To further her ambitions, Aliya needs a sponsor to help support her educational journey.