Sometimes, life compels us to take extremely difficult paths. Ashwini's story is an example of this. She is a 14-year-old studying in Standard VIII. Unfortunately, Ashwini has gone through a lot of trouble at a tender age due to a tragedy.  Her family is from Ranjangoan. In December, 2012, her father brought her family down to Bhilai since he got a job there and wished to settle down with his family. However, in a couple of weeks, Ashwini's father mysteriously disappeared. The family was devastated. Her mother was forced to work as a domestic help in a few households to support the family.

Ashwini has three sisters.  Gradually all of them had to work as domestic aides to earn money and support the family. Ashwini starts her day at 6 in the morning. She helps out with some domestic work in her neighbourhood before she gets to school. After school she again goes to another house and works there as an aide. At this young age she has to go through a lot of hardship because her father deserted her family. She earns approximately Rs. 1,000 every month.

A brighter side to this is that Ashwini is a very hard working girl when it comes to studies. She wants to grow up and pursue teaching as a profession so that all the kids in her town and around are well educated. The Akshaya Patra mid-day meal which is served at her school is her favourite food and she is very grateful that she is a beneficiary.