Onika Maheshwari/ New Delhi 

Sana Khan set up the Rahat Foundation on 26 February 2010 and during the 14 years of its existence in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra it helps women school dropouts. 

Sitting in her modest office in Jasola village in southeast Delhi, Sana Khan, 34, told Awaz-the Voice that her top priority is her project on school dropouts. She gets such girls and women admitted to Jamia's open school or the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). 

Sana Khan believes that the right to education is universal and with this thought, she has so far rehabilitated 2,000 dropout children back into the educational mainstream.

Sana Khan delivering a talk at the IICC, New Delhi

Sana Khan not only sends the dropouts back to school but also imparts skills and ensures their job placements.

Her NGO teaches courses like digital marketing, fashion design, etc. Interestingly, the Rahat Foundation also managed to train 256 women drivers and helped them get licenses to drive.

Sana Khan says so far her NGO has employed about 10 thousand young men and women. They had acquired different skills at the classes of the Rahat Foundation. 

Of these, 6000 did learn digital marketing and 4000 fashion designing. Sana Khan says she contacted the fashion designing industry located in Okhla Phase 2 in Delhi, while the digital marketing trainees got jobs in the IT sector, call centers, Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, etc. 

Some beneficiaries of the Rahat Foundation

She also remains in touch with the companies where she enrolls the skilled young men and women of the Rahat Foundation for jobs.

Kna Khan said, "My father died when I was in my 8th class. I was 13 years old. I had two elder brothers and a mother in my house. I can't even describe the financial difficulties we faced at that time. One day a person from an NGO touched our lives and everything started changing."

"Back then I got support and today I am at the stage where I have created a successful world. I always try to help others, " she says.

Rahat Foundation takes utmost care of all its beneficiaries. It arranges their exam fees, books, etc. The NGO does occasional fundraising to meet its expenses.  

Sana Khan receiving an award

Sana Khan says she is careful in checking the genuineness of the beneficiary. She says there is a strict system of checking and whetting of a potential beneficiary. Rahat Foundation takes both boys and girls under its wings, she said.

Sana Khan has 70 people in her team who are divided into groups to form sub-units and work at the grassroots in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra.

Sana Khan said that soon Rahat Foundation will set up its centers in Bangalore, Karnataka.

Sana Khan says that from time to time she organizes camps in which awareness about education is spread in society. So far, she has set up 500 to 600 campuses under the banner of the Rahat Foundation.

Sana Khan receiving an award

Going down memory lane, Sana Khan said she did a mass communication course from South Delhi Polytechnic, New Delhi in 2010, and joined the Sahara group of publications. 

"However, while working with the newspaper, my wish to help the needy kept overpowering my mind and ultimately, I had laid the foundation of Rahat Foundation."

Sana Khan says that today her NGO is well-known for its work and people recognize and appreciate her work. She said she received immense support from society during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Rahat Foundation distributed blankets and dry rations to the people. It also distributed school bags for children to keep their hopes alive and essential medicines during that difficult phase.

Recently Sana Khan was honoured in Dubai, the UAE. She had already received several awards and honours from companies and forums in Bengaluru, and Delhi. 

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Sana Khan is willing to help people who contact her on her website and Facebook page.