How Sambhali’s Empowerment Centers Helped Lucky Rewrite Her Future in Rajasthan
By Shreeya Ram
19-year-old Lucky has had to shoulder a lot of responsibility since she was a little girl. She previously led a life in the village, but because of the poor condition of their house, she and her family moved to Jodhpur to live with her grandparents. Her father has an alcohol addiction and does not earn an income.
Lucky’s family situation is common. Alcohol consumption in Rajasthan is significantly higher when compared to other regions and is especially prevalent among men who might have sustained injury when working and doing manual labor.
Without a stable source of income, Lucky’s mother was making some money sewing kundan dupattas, a staple of Indian textiles and fashion. Dupattas are long pieces of cloth that are widely used all over India in many traditional and modern outfits and Kundan is a technique for setting gemstones, often used in jewelry and textiles. In order to help manage the household, Lucky focused on helping her mother and was not able to continue with her studies.
Then Lucky learned of Sambhali’s Empowerment Centers.
Every year, Sambhali Trust Empowerment Centers provide a one-year comprehensive program for over 240 adolescent girls and women that includes: These resources range from vocational training in sewing and embroidery, classes in languages, math, and self-defense, workshops on health, gender based violence, and small business development. The safe shelters include access to healthcare, microfinance groups, psychological counseling, and legal services. Upon graduation, each woman receives a sewing machine to continue her path to financial independence.
After joining the Laadli Empowerment Center, Lucky was able to continue with her studies and also make kundan dupattas like her mother while earning more money than before. As she explains:
“Since coming here, my self-confidence has grown, and I feel more independent. I no longer feel afraid to go outside alone, and I now feel very strong. After coming here, I have experienced a lot of changes in myself. Through the workshops here, I have learned many new things that I didn’t know before. I now feel very positive changes in myself. I want to study and help my mother, and I also want to start my own business, along with helping her.”
Empowerment Centers help women like Lucky find confidence in themselves and a path to a happy and independent life. Lucky is on her way there.