Sonal Pawar is 38-years-old, born in the slum community of Dhobi Ghat Mahalaxmi. She married Santosh Pawar at the age 18 and became mother of two sons at age of 21. Her education was discontinued after 10th Std to take care of her siblings and the household chores.

My interest was to work for the issues of community because of my passion and determination to bring about change even if lacked support from family. As a result, I got opportunity to work with Pratham, NGO as a preschool teacher and library incharge. In 2009, I joined the Foundation for Mother and Child Health as a cook. I utilised every opportunity dealing with community mobilization in FMCH, as I believe it is first step to bring about change and in 2013 was promoted to field officer with responsibilities of building relationships with community and conducting programs.

Today, I’m working as Field Coordinator in FMCH with the added responsibilities of networking, conducting trainings, coordinating the field programs of two intervention sites. While in FMCH, I completed my paraprofessional course in Social work and counselling course from Care institute. Now I am pursuing my higher education so that I can complete my Master in social work course.