Armaan Club Graduate: Poonam Adkar’s Journey

Armaan Club supports the children of artisans as they grow through their school years. While academic support is central, the program also nurtures broader development often overlooked in schools. Through sports, creative activities, leadership opportunities, and career guidance, children build confidence, teamwork, and life skills while discovering their potential and future possibilities. ✨

Poonam Adkar Daughter of Vaishali Adkar, WARE Collective

Twenty-year-old Poonam completed her Commerce degree in 2025 and is now pursuing her M.Com while working part-time at TeamLease Company as a Junior Executive in the Operations Department. For the past year, she has been handling loan process documentation — carefully managing details, paperwork, and coordination. Balancing work and higher studies is not easy, but she handles it quietly and responsibly.

Poonam describes herself as someone who has always been shy, introverted, and sincere about her studies. She joined Armaan Club in the 8th standard and was very regular in attending educational, motivational, and career guidance sessions. Because her school schedule stretched from morning to evening, she could not participate much in dance, drama, or outdoor activities. But she never missed the sessions that focused on learning and self-development.

She says those sessions made a real difference. Even though she studied in an English-medium school, many students hesitated to speak in English. Poonam, however, slowly gained confidence to speak fluently. Her grammar improved, her handwriting became neater, and she learned how to complete books and assignments on time. She developed organizing and time-management skills that later helped her stay active and responsible in both school and college activities.

There was a time when she calls herself a “yes girl” — someone who agreed with everything, stayed quiet, and struggled to express her thoughts. She was easily affected by fear and negative thinking, and her mood would often drop. She noticed many girls around her felt the same. But by regularly attending Armaan Club sessions, her confidence gradually grew. Today, she says she can speak about what she knows without fear. In college, she was often the only one who knew how to draft emails properly — a skill she traces back to her exposure at Armaan Club.

From Armaan Club, she learned practical values: equality, respecting elders and younger ones, waiting for her turn, patience, observation, and adjusting with different personalities. People often appreciate her humble nature and clear communication.

During her 10th standard vacation, she even got the opportunity to teach Education For Life children, which strengthened her fluency and confidence further.

She admits she still has moments of doubt, but she openly shares her concerns with her mother, who encourages her. At home, there is mutual respect and a shared value for learning.

Looking ahead, Poonam dreams of pursuing a PhD and earning a Doctorate. From a young age, she understood that education creates independence and dignity. Today, she chooses to spend her time meaningfully — always learning, always growing.