Help Women in India Become Professional Drivers

Getting women in Kolkata on wheels

Thanks to you, we were able to bring Women on Wheels to a new city and state in India, enabling women in Kolkata in West Bengal to also get on wheels.

This reports tells you about our new venture in Kolkata and a heartbreaking story of a journey of Ankita to at last reaching to a job with dignity as a professional driver.

First professional women drivers in Kolkata

In June 2015, we started our Women on Wheels programme in Kolkata by mobilizing women from resource-poor communities.

During our first mass Mobilisation Drive we visited 14 bastis, together with our mobilization partner Thoughshop Foundation. Our women drivers, trainees and staff members talked to women and their families about Women of Wheels programme, why women should become professional drivers, and how Women on Wheels programme breaks patriarchy within families, society and workplace. We sang, danced and screened films and drove around on cars decorated with Azad’s garlands and stickers.

As a result, 21 women enrolled for the training and are already taking driving and self-development modules as part of Women on Wheels programme. Six trainees from the first batch have already passed their permanent license exam, with the rest going for the exam soon. The second batch has already undertaken the learner license exam, eagerly expecting to receive their papers. Some of these women will be on the roads as private chauffeurs from January, earning in jobs with dignity.

For many of them becoming a driver is a rare opportunity to escape the vicious cycle of poverty and injustice. The story of Ankita tells you about a journey of a young woman who has experienced extreme poverty, deceit and distress before joining our training programme that gives her hope.

Story of Ankita

My name is Ankita (name has been changed). I am 22 year old now. I was born in Sandeshkhali area, Sundarban. My parents left me with grand mum in the village and took my elder sister and brother to their workplace. They were agricultural labourers and roamed for work around West Bengal. My grandma used to beat me and didn’t send me to school. I used to look after our fruit orchard under supervision of my grand mom. We owned lands, but our relatives captured some of the land and my father lost rest of the land in the gambling. After loosing all land my parents shifted to Dumdum slum, in Kolkata. Initially, they didn’t bring me with them, but when my father got very sick, and my mom couldn’t leave him alone and travel, they took my grand ma and myself to Dumdum.

After arriving to Kolkata, I experienced tremendous poverty. My father couldn’t work due to ill health and my mother also had to stay at home to take care of him. My elder sister used to do sewing to support the whole family. I was able to study only up to class two.

At the age of eleven, I was convinced by my family and community to take up a job of a domestic worker in Delhi. I ended up working in the house of the son and daughter-in-law of a prominent politician. I used to cook for them and they were very good to me.

After working there for nearly 3 years I decided to go back home. The agency that arranged the work for me was taking all my salary as the boss at the agency, Nemai, said that they would keep it safe for me. When I asked to receive my salary, I was told that Nemai was in prison and that they would send money to my home once he is out. I came home without a single farthing!

After staying at home for a month, another agent came and offered me a job of domestic worker in Ludhiana. So I went to Ludhiana, where I looked after an old lady. She offered me to go outside India to work and earn more money, but I refused her proposal. The lady died after one year and I was moved to Delhi to work at a house of one of her relatives, where I worked as cook and domestic worker. After a year, I decided to return home. I saved around two lakhs rupees (around £2,000 / $3,000 USD) so I did shopping for all my family members and myself.

That’s when Nemai contacted me again. He said that there is a vacancy for a domestic worker for one month and that the employer is in a real trouble. I didn’t want to take the job but Nemai and his associates pressurized me emotionally to convince me. Ultimately, I agreed. Nemai convinced me not to take my things with me, as the new employers would think that I had stolen the money and stuff from my previous employer. I was puzzled and left everything in their office.

After working there for three months, I came to Nemai’s office and asked for my money and luggage. Nemai was not present and his men said that he was in jail for trafficking. They said that Nemai would send all my belonging to me once he comes out from jail. Now it’s been two and half years since I came back, but I haven’t received anything from Nemai.

Presently my mother works as part-time domestic workers in our area, my elder sister is facing violence from her husband and in-laws, and my father is an alcoholic and beats my mother and me regularly. With the support of Azad Foundation and Thoughtshop Foundation I logged a complaint against him to the local police station and to our Area-Committee, Youth Group. After their intervention my father stopped abusing us physically but he still abuses us verbally.

Recently, I started training with Azad Foundation to become professional chauffeur. I have now acquired a permanent license. I am looking forward to finally having a respectable and secure profession in near future!

Thank you for helping us to give women like Ankita new hope.