indian council of medical research - Pondicherry University DSpace ...

C, Case Studies
Case N0.l
Dhanalakshml was a 13 year old glrl At the beg~nnlng of the study, she was studylng In
the Vlll standard In the wllage. She was one of the children who formed the cohort.
Her older marned sister was staylng wlth them and she had just delivered her second
child The sistets first child, a son, was 2 years old. Before going to school and after
retumlng from school Dhanalakshmi had to look after her nephew. She was a very
affectionate girl and fond of her nephew. She was often observed dolng her homework
and s~multaneously playlng wlth her nephew
After the third month she was not
available for follow up Her mother explained that she had gone w~th her elder slster to
her ullage to look after the chlld and would be back after a few days Dhanalakshml
returned after a month and attended school for 2 more months Meanwhile, her slster
sent word that she needed her younger s~ster's help to mlnd the baby and her parents
sent her back to her slster's ullage She never returned to the study vlllage till the erid
of the study Her parents did not seem to be affected by the fad that Dhanalakshml
had to discontinue her stud~es Her father said. "She was reading well. But what to
do? she has to help her sister also. Any way what is she going to do after
reading? She w~ll also get married and go away".
Case No. 2
This story IS that of Anandayee, a 12 year old girl, who was studying in the VI standard
at the beginning of the study In the ullage school. She was also amongst those who
formed the cohort. She was lost for follow up and dropped out of school after 6 months