Great stories aren’t crafted—they’re uncovered. They live quietly around us, waiting patiently to be seen, heard, and felt.
The FactorDaily–Bachpan Manao Storytelling Fellowship began with a simple conviction: real stories from India’s fields, classrooms, and communities deserve not just attention but presence. Our question was not how to write these stories, but how to listen to them.
Over the last few months, a diverse group of changemakers, educators, and fieldworkers came together as our very first cohort. What unfolded was less of a storytelling “program” and more a process of gentle excavation. We didn’t prescribe methods or dictate styles; instead, we created spaces for fellows to pause, reflect, and shape their lived experiences into powerful narratives that demanded to be felt, not merely understood.
What emerged surprised us all.
- Megha, from Prapti Foundation, shaken by cruelty witnessed in an Anganwadi, channeled heartbreak into action with the founding of the Prapti Foundation, transforming a space of fear into one of safety and joy.
- Varsha, from Adhyayan Foundation, who helped us vividly experience Radha’s quiet but profound revolution, turning a simple library and Anganwadi into vibrant storytelling spaces, inspiring children like Trishala to discover their own voice.
- Manjula, from Sampark, who took us into the dust-covered life of young Ullesh, carrying resilience in the silent rituals of flipping dosas and walking towards his dreams from the edge of construction sites.
- Uma, from Samanta Foundation, who allowed us to feel the quiet yet profound pain of exclusion through the eyes of Aaleya, a little girl searching for belonging in a classroom that pushed her aside.
- Swetha, from Key Education Foundation, who beautifully illustrated that true joy in early education comes not from lessons or techniques but from trust, freedom, and giving children the space to simply be themselves.
- Priyanka, from Arts4Change, who followed Gaja’s childhood curiosity about pangolins, an obsession that culminated in a courageous act of conservation in his village.
- Mansi, from Rocket Learning, whose animated character Chulbuli bridged deeply entrenched divides, transforming how families engage with early childhood education, gently reshaping norms and behaviors through imaginative storytelling.
- Manikandan, from Crutch Trust, who surfaced the hidden stories of women in Virudhunagar’s textile mills—quiet resilience, silent struggles, and dignity that reports and statistics often overlook.
- Subrato, from Vikramshila Education Resource Society, who took us inside Zubair’s classroom, where the fear of reading was transformed through playful learning, laughter, and genuine human connection.
- Muskaan, from Shiksharth Trust, who walked us gently into a small classroom in Sukma, where girls like Ragnee broke generations of silence by speaking openly about menstruation in their mother tongue, not loudly, but bravely.
At our graduation event, Katha Utsav, at Bachpan Manao Sabha (May 23, 2025), these stories weren’t presented—they came alive. Witnessing 21-year-old Ragnee from Pakela village share her journey on stage—speaking calmly, in Halbi, to an audience far from her home—was profoundly humbling and affirming. The fellowship wasn’t about finding professional storytellers, but returning storytelling to those who hold these truths closely, letting them speak freely, authentically, and powerfully.
As the first cohort wraps up, this isn’t an end—it’s a beginning. This community is now forming a widening circle, bringing new cohorts into a journey of authentic listening, sharing, and storytelling. These fellows aren’t just writers; they’re custodians of stories that reshape how change is seen, felt, and understood.
Our deepest gratitude to Bachpan Manao, EkStep Foundation, and especially to Hita and Deepika, for seeing the possibility and potential in this fellowship from day one.
This is just the start. We look forward to co-traveling with more changemakers, educators, and karmyogis.
Because their stories, like the quiet truths we discovered together, need no permission—only presence.
Dive into the stories below
)
