At the Balajothi Centre for the Disabled in Bangalore, the mission is centered on children. But the Balajothi team couldn’t help but notice that the mothers of the children they served were in need, as well. What would happen if they served moms, too?
Mothers with children enrolled at Balajothi Centre for the Disabled suddenly had more free time. But to obtain work, they needed skills-based training. Though the women were not the target demographic for Balajothi, the team believed that empowering mothers would help empower the children. Rather than being fearful of trying something new, they moved forward: “We took it as a challenge.”
The team set out to collect feedback about what types of vocational training the women wanted to pursue. “We organized a small workshop and invited interested parents,” they shared. The group settled on tailoring, so the team began offering training. “We started a sewing unit on our premises one month ago. Six mothers joined the program and are happy having done so.”
The Balajoni Centre for the Disabled team now feels confident that with community feedback they can expand their reach and serve both mothers and their children. The team shared their plans with GlobalGiving, “We plan to increase the number of sewing machines from 9 to 12. We are planning on setting up two similar units in two different locations in the next six months.”
Taking on new challenges to meet their community’s needs is central to Balajothi Centre’s mission. Their work continues to adapt to present needs. Patima Kollali, who visited the centre as a member of GlobalGiving’s Field Program, said:
“The Team at Balajothi is doing some groundbreaking work in creating a safe haven for these wonderful children. I was impressed with their level of commitment and dedication towards creating awareness, improving the lives of the children and uplifting the families.”
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