The foundation was established through hard work and struggle. The chairperson of the foundation is the well-known singer, Anju Yadav, who has faced immense challenges to establish herself in the field of music. From a young age, she dreamed of singing, but when she performed on stage, she was often insulted with words like “untalented” and “dancer.” Despite these challenges, with the support of her brother, she did not give up on her dream of singing. During that time in Madhesh, it was common for men to perform as women on stage. Even though Anju was under pressure to marry at the age of 16, she continued her studies and her passion for music.
While studying in class 10, she started advocating for girls’ education through her song “Pad Diyo Hamro Babooji,” raising awareness about dowry, caste discrimination, inequality in education, and other social issues. She dedicated time to visit villages, spreading awareness through acting and music.
Seven years ago, during a school enrollment campaign, Anju noticed that girls from the Dom community in Malekpur, Saptari, were not attending school. After convincing the parents, she successfully enrolled three Dom girls in school. At that time, Anju herself was a student preparing for her BBA after completing class 12. She used the funds from her music recordings and programs to provide uniforms and educational materials for the girls, helping them become literate.
Impressed by Anju’s work, her BBA classmate Khustara Pravin became her partner in these social activities. Soon, other like-minded individuals such as Aanchal Das, a forward-thinking social activist, and youth leaders Dipak Kumar Yadav and Yadunandan Ram, joined the cause. They decided to work together as a foundation rather than individually.
Thus, the Dalaan Foundation was formally established on May 21, 2014, as a non-profit organization dedicated to social activities. Since then, the foundation has worked to increase access to education for children from poor, Dalit, minority, and marginalized communities. The foundation is also actively engaged in campaigns against caste discrimination, child marriage, dowry, and other social issues while conducting creative and motivational programs.
Anju, Khustara, and Aanchal, with a strong determination to bring about change, succeeded in getting married without dowry. Through their actions, they continue to inspire other youth and advance the campaign against dowry, encouraging a positive shift in society.