Skoll Foundation

From Fields to Flight

Brands: Breakthrough with Video Consortium and Skoll

Foundation Synopsis: In rural Uttar Pradesh, where caste and patriarchy often dictate a girl's future, Babita's life seemed destined for early marriage and domestic duty. Born into a Dalit family and forced to shoulder responsibilities after her mother's death, she gave up dreams of college to care for her home. A turning point came with the nonprofit Breakthrough, where she discovered her voice and grew into a leader: organizing women and challenging gender norms. Her boldest step was training as her district's first certified female drone pilot to work in agriculture, flying her drone to assist in farming and spreading fertilizer. Babita transforms skepticism into pride, inspiring young women to delay early marriage and pursue financial independence.

About the Project: This film was directed by Ipshita Bhattacharyya, about the nonprofit Breakthrough in partnership with Video Consortium and support from the Skoll Foundation. Produced by The Solutions Storytelling Project, a collaborative storytelling fellowship that connects regional filmmakers from the Global South with social innovators to create solutions-focused short documentaries that catalyze positive change.