Empower girls like Priti in slums in Pune, India

Vasudha is 60 years old and works as a garbage collector. She works long hours and lives in a house made of tin sheets. She shares this house with her husband, four daughters and two sons.  

Despite her sons being old enough to earn a living, they are both alcoholics and use her earnings to drink heavily. They are abusive to her when she tries to spend the money elsewhere and she often feels unsafe in their presence.  Vasudha feels trapped and unable to escape from this cycle of addiction that is ingrained within the family. 

She began attending support groups, which are run by our partners, where women are encouraged to share their difficulties and create a safe space. At first, Vasudha felt so much shame about what was happening with her sons, that she couldn’t share. But the impact of hearing other women open up about their triumphs and struggles affected her deeply, so she continued to attend.  

One day she felt strong enough to talk…  

Afterwards, her peers from the group went with her to the local police station, where she received the support needed to face her sons. A police officer spoke to them about their abusive behaviour and outlined what would happen if it continued and the legal action that would be taken. With the backing of the women’s group and the local police, her sons promised they would tackle their alcohol dependence. This is being monitored by the project. 

Vasudha can now lead her life independently and use her wage according to her wishes, and hers alone.  

Without your support, women like Vasudha can’t see a way out of their circumstances. All it takes is community support and encouragement for big changes to happen and self-confidence to thrive.  

Thank you so much! 

Links:

• Link to our website to find out more and see our projects!

Sharmilla had just finished her school exams and felt like the whole world was waiting before her. She was 17, full of energy and charisma for life, then her grandmother said she must marry someone and soon. 

Sharmilla’s family struggle financially. There are eight people in the household and marriage can be a way out of this. Usually, girls at this young age don’t feel like they have any autonomy and yield to their family’s wishes. However, Sharmilla had been to our project’s meetings. This project focuses on teaching girls and their families the importance of education and a life committed to choose for themselves.  

Sharmilla’s mother had also been to the meetings and has reconsidered what she wanted for her five daughters. So, together they discussed with Sharmilla’s father and grandmother, the negative and potentially harmful effects of child marriage. 

‘I want to be educated and stand on my own two feet’said Sharmilla with a newfound confidence.  

Thanks to the support of her mother and increased knowledge of her rights, the marriage has been cancelled. With the support and encouragement of the project, Sharmilla wants to continue education.  

To so many young girls, this would never be an option. Our work still has a long way to go in successfully changing long-standing attitudes in society, towards girls and education. Like we have seen with Sharmilla’s mother, family support is crucial and a core focus of this project. 

Thanks to your support, we are continuing to facilitate these important conversations and keep girls in school.  

Links:

• Link to our website to find out more and see our projects!
• Karuna Trust Instagram for behind the scenes...