For years, many girls from the Bedia community in Madhya Pradesh were pushed into intergenerational sex work due to poverty, social stigma, and lack of opportunities. But one IPS officer is working to change that reality through the power of education. Veerendra Mishra has spent years helping children from the community build a future beyond exploitation.

Through his NGO Samvedna, thousands of children from over 60 villages are now attending schools and colleges instead of entering the same cycle their families faced for generations. Some students are pursuing careers in law, engineering, nursing, and even civil services.

One of the biggest challenges was social discrimination. Many children faced bullying in schools and were denied equal treatment because of their caste identity. To solve this, students were shifted to schools and hostels in bigger cities like Bhopal, where they received better exposure and support.