A Brighter Future: How Sapna Built a Career in Solar Energy

Growing up in Sant Kabir Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, Sapna was always curious about how things worked.

As a child, she enjoyed helping repair small electrical appliances at home. During Diwali, she was the one who wanted to untangle the fairy lights, fix loose wires and make sure every bulb lit up. It was something she loved, even if she never imagined it could become a career.

After completing Grade 12 in 2022, Sapna’s education came to a halt. While her brothers continued their studies, she stayed at home, taking on household responsibilities. For the next three years, opportunities to continue learning or start work felt out of reach.

Everything changed when a cousin told her about Pratham’s Youth and Skilling programme.

The programme offers practical, industry-relevant training that helps young people build the skills and confidence they need to move into work. For Sapna, the photovoltaic (PV) installation course was an opportunity to learn something she had been interested in since childhood.

Taking that opportunity was not straightforward.

The course was a 45-day residential programme, meaning Sapna would need to live away from home. Her parents were unsure. They worried about her leaving home and questioned whether electrical work was the right career for a young woman.

Sapna did not give up. She spoke to her parents about why the course mattered to her and, eventually, they agreed.

Arriving at the skilling centre was both exciting and daunting. It was her first time living away from home, and adapting to a new routine took time. The technical training was challenging at first, but with support from her trainers and encouragement from her peers, Sapna grew in confidence. Alongside practical training in solar installation, she also developed digital skills, improved her English and strengthened the communication and workplace skills that employers value.

After completing the programme, Pratham supported Sapna into employment with a private company in Gurugram, Haryana. Today, she works on solar rooftop installations, applying the skills she learnt during training and contributing to her family’s income.

Reflecting on her journey, Sapna says:

“People say the gap between girls and boys is closing. It will truly close only when girls step forward and seize opportunities themselves.”

For Sapna, stepping forward meant pursuing a career that few expected her to choose. Today, she is building both her own future and a career in India’s growing renewable energy sector.

Her story is one of many that shows what can happen when young people have access to practical skills, supportive mentors and opportunities that lead to meaningful work.

You can help more young people like Sapna to gain the confidence, skills and opportunities they need to build brighter futures for themselves and their families – donate today to support learning that changes lives.