Meena
Firozabad, UP

How frail legs walk the life with dignity!

With frail legs rendered useless after being struck by polio, life has been quite hard for Meena (23), more so because she comes from an economically-backward family living in village Rupaspur in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

“It’s just adjustment,” she modestly says when asked about her condition and her life. “When I was around eight years of age, I learnt to walk on my hands. I learnt to walk upside down so my legs do not drag. Eventually, I could walk long distances without trouble.

From childhood Meena had seen her father struggle hard to get two square meals for the family of six members. They have a small piece of land but there was never enough income to meet the basic needs of life. As Meena grew up, she wanted to share the responsibility of running the house, but felt helpless. She had no skills, no opportunity and no way to go! Her small village had no opportunity for normal girls to make a living, leave alone a physically challenged girl like her.

Her dreams came true when AROH Foundation started Parivartan Skills Training Centre in her village and she enrolled herself for cutting tailoring course. She outperformed all other girls of her batch and passed out with excellent grades. She was given a sewing machine by AROH which really proved to be ‘a ray of hope’ for her.

Now Meena owns her own “Meena Silai Kendra” and stitches clothes for villagers at a nominal rate. She is able to earn about 2-3K in a month which she gives to her father for running the house. Meena is not only successfully running her business of garment making, she is also pursuing her studies and wants to do post graduation. She is also keen to teach ‘silai’ to other needy girls, as she feels that Silai is a craft that every woman should know.

Meena shares her experience,

I don’t have legs but AROH has given me wings. My sewing machine has not just given me my livelihood, but has given me confidence and self-respect to live my life with dignity.

Malcom Mawlang
Umdiengpoh village , Meghalaya

Malcom Mawlang of Umdiengpoh looks quite old for her age. She is only 35, but vagaries of nature and hardships of life have taken a toll on her. She is fighting to keep herself and her three kids alive. Coming from a matriarchal society, she is the only bread winner of the family. Her husband does not work and is of no help in running the family.

Feeding three little children was not easy for her. Life in her village situated in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya is full of struggle. She has a small piece of land where she was growing only one crop in the year. Her income was so meager that at times they all had to sleep on hungry stomach.

When AROH Foundation started helping her in backyard farming, she learnt to utilize every small resource available to her. She learnt how to take up small but multiple efforts to increase her income. She learnt how to do backyard farming and grow different plants in small patches of land available around her house. She was overjoyed to get her first harvest of crop of pumpkins which seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The pumpkin wine took no space at all, but gave big pumpkins which she could sell for good amount.

Slowly she has become a professional backyard farmer and now dares to experiment with new plants. Her production from backyard not only gets her money to run the house, but also gives nutrition to her little kids. Malcom is now an empowered woman who knows how to make best use of resources!

Sitara Begum
Diktauli , UP

Sitara Begum was barely able to provide her children with two square meals a day. Several times the family slept on empty stomach. Sitara Begum is a 38 year old Muslim lady living in a small jhuggi in Diktauli. He husband passed away leaving three children behind. The small piece of land which the family had went away in paying the debts. Sitara worked as a daily wage labourer. She did not find work on all days and lived in extreme poverty. Sitara’s daughter named Mahroonisha had to stop her study due to poverty. Sitara also suffers from poor health condition and malnutrition. At times she feels too weak to go out for work. Mahroonisa feels helpless as her studies have stopped due to lack money.

During one of the community meetings held by AROH Foundation, it was suggested that Sitara Begum could acquire some skill at the vocation training centre started in the village under the HRDP programme of HDFC Bank. Sitara was delighted to opt for a course in garment making. She enrolled herself for a three-month course in dress making and started dreaming of a better future and enough food to give to her children. She hoped to provide money for Mahroonisa’s education.

Sitara was a fast learners as she quickly acquired the skills. She wanted to start her own shop for stiching clothes of the community. She requested AROH for helping her purchase a machine so that she could set up her tailoring unit. Seeing her dire need on the one hand and determination to do something on the other, it was decided to provide her with a subsidy to purchase a sewing machine. She is getting orders to stitch suits and blouses and her children no longer sleep hungry. Her daughter Mehroonisa has resumed her studies and helps her mother in running the shop.

Sitara Begum’s story inspires every woman to come forward and change their lives!