Real Life Stories Part 2

Continuing with our previous post on "Real Life Stories", here are inspiring stories of Reenu, Neerlata and Pushpa on how Indha became a platform for empowerment for these three women. Read on...

Reenu: At, the age of three, Reenu experienced the loss of her father, after which, she and her brother were left in the sole care of their mother. Her mother worked hard, selling milk, to support the family. With her meagre monthly income of Rs 1000-Rs 2000, she tried to make ends meet and educate her children. In order to support the family, Reenu joined the Kaligiri Training Programme right after completing her tenth standard, a year back. She always showed an interest in stitching since childhood and loves the feeling she gets each time she makes something. She has stitched more than a 100 bags and her favorite is the “Sapna Bag”. Today, she earns Rs 1500 a month for the work she does at Indha.
Life seems a lot better for her today. Her mother is not alone shouldering the household responsibilities, Neeru is right by her side!


Neerlata always had one desire in life, to be able to financially support her parents and three sisters. Her father is a government official and earns Rs 5500 a month. But that was not enough for the sustenance of such a large family. Thats when Neerlata joined the Kaligiri Training Programme six months ago. At first, stitching seemed to her a difficult and complicated procedure. Understanding different stitches puzzled and confused her. But after practicing everyday, her stitching has not only become faster but also swifter. She loves stitching salwaar suits for her sisters and mother. And the extra income she earns supports the education of her three sisters.
The way Neerlata concentrates while tailoring is amazing. A tailoring machine, thread and a beautiful piece of cloth and she is all set. 

Pushpa: 20 year old Pushpa was sitting idle and clueless at home after completing her tenth standard. Her father had retired and the family was facing a lot of problems managing their finances. Pushpa's elder sibling's education had to be discontinued as the family simply could not afford it. This was an ultimatum of sorts and Pushpa decided to take charge. She then decided to pursue a vocational training programme to acquire a skill that would help her become financially empowered. 

About a year back she joined our Kaligari Training Programme, where for the first six months she devoted herself to learning different techniques in stitching and tailoring. She enjoyed tailoring immensely and stitched even after going back home. She has stitched over 100 purses and many other items.

Today, she earns Rs 1500 a month at Indha and supports her family's finances. This has given her a new lease of confidence in her abilities and in the knowledge that she is an important pillar of the family.