India
Reaching out to those who cannot reach us
The Allahabad project is dedicated to empowering girls like Khusboo, helping them lead secure, prosperous, and dignified lives.
In rural India, teenage girls and women are the silent strength of their families, performing household chores from dawn to dusk. After completing their daily duties, many work as maids, in fields, or utilize skills like sewing to earn a small income. Despite their significant contributions, they remain largely invisible, marginalized by deep-rooted gender inequality, underemployment, and lack of education.
From an early age, girls in these communities shoulder heavy responsibilities, caring for younger siblings, cooking, and performing domestic chores. Many are married off at a young age, leading to a life of servitude and anonymity. Educational opportunities are rare, and most girls are confined to manual labour, with elder daughters often sacrificing their education to care for younger siblings while their mothers work.
Khusboo’s story is a testament to this harsh reality. She lives in the Gohri group of villages and belongs to a very poor family. Her father, a daily wage labourer, is often unable to work due to health issues, forcing Khusboo and her older sister to leave school to support their younger siblings. They work tirelessly, stitching clothes to earn a modest income. Despite their efforts, the family struggles to make ends meet, and they cannot afford to marry off the eldest daughter.
For the past eight years, Khusboo has attended the Allahabad vocational centre, where she has excelled in sewing and stitching. Her skills have transformed her life, enabling her to become a senior leader at the centre, earning a daily income and gaining confidence. Equipped with a good knowledge of these skills, she has become a senior leader at the centre, where she also receives a stipend. She takes orders from different women in the village and earns 500 rupees a day. She says, "During the marriage season or festivals, I get a lot of orders and earn up to 1000 rupees." Khusboo feels proud to be a helping hand to her family. The skills she has learned in the project have boosted her confidence, and she now teaches the junior and middle groups in our project. She loves doing embroidery and jute work and has mastered stitching, with village women coming to her for designing and sewing their clothes. Khusboo is grateful for the project and proud of all she has learned over the years.
The Allahabad project is dedicated to empowering girls like Khusboo, helping them lead secure, prosperous, and dignified lives. Through vocational training, we are making a significant impact on the empowerment of women in these rural villages.
From an early age, girls in these communities shoulder heavy responsibilities, caring for younger siblings, cooking, and performing domestic chores. Many are married off at a young age, leading to a life of servitude and anonymity. Educational opportunities are rare, and most girls are confined to manual labour, with elder daughters often sacrificing their education to care for younger siblings while their mothers work.
Khusboo’s story is a testament to this harsh reality. She lives in the Gohri group of villages and belongs to a very poor family. Her father, a daily wage labourer, is often unable to work due to health issues, forcing Khusboo and her older sister to leave school to support their younger siblings. They work tirelessly, stitching clothes to earn a modest income. Despite their efforts, the family struggles to make ends meet, and they cannot afford to marry off the eldest daughter.
For the past eight years, Khusboo has attended the Allahabad vocational centre, where she has excelled in sewing and stitching. Her skills have transformed her life, enabling her to become a senior leader at the centre, earning a daily income and gaining confidence. Equipped with a good knowledge of these skills, she has become a senior leader at the centre, where she also receives a stipend. She takes orders from different women in the village and earns 500 rupees a day. She says, "During the marriage season or festivals, I get a lot of orders and earn up to 1000 rupees." Khusboo feels proud to be a helping hand to her family. The skills she has learned in the project have boosted her confidence, and she now teaches the junior and middle groups in our project. She loves doing embroidery and jute work and has mastered stitching, with village women coming to her for designing and sewing their clothes. Khusboo is grateful for the project and proud of all she has learned over the years.
The Allahabad project is dedicated to empowering girls like Khusboo, helping them lead secure, prosperous, and dignified lives. Through vocational training, we are making a significant impact on the empowerment of women in these rural villages.