Beneficiary stories

Name: Krishna Kumar (name changed)

Partner: Orione Seva

Disability: Micro Cephalous with slight Mental Retardation

Improvement noticed: He lives in a rented house with his mother. His father is no more and his mother is quite old, so he is supporting his mother with the stipend that he is receiving from this program. When he came to center, he was introduced to horticulture and then moved to Green Skilling. He is earning a regular income from the flower sand and holi orders from the time he has enrolled in Green Skilling Program over 18 months ago. Now he is working on this initiative full-time and has taken a very keen interest in doing this work and learning newer tasks.

Name: Snehalatha  (name changed)

Project:  Swayam Shakti, Hyderabad

Profile: Unskilled, from a low income community. She was forced out of school after 11th standard and was married off at a very young age. She already has three girl children, but is facing a lot of pressure from the family to bear a male child. She is a victim of mental and physical assault from her mother-in-law. Her youngest daughter is completely neglected by the family.

Impact: Snehalatha heard of the Swayam Shakthi project from one of her neighbours who is also a beneficiary. Today, she attends the classes, breast feeding her 11 month old daughter. She says “every morning I resist the barriers at home and make sure I come to class because this is one place where my voice is heard and when someone takes hold of my daughter, I feel she is loved and this makes me very happy”.

Name: Kaveriamma  (name changed)

Partner: Grameena Abhudaya Seva Samsthe (GASS)

Disability: Epilepsy  disorder

Improvement noticed: Kaveriamma is the first daughter to her parents. She has an epilepsy  disorder by birth. Before joining the Green skilling project, she was at home helping out with house work but she faced memory retention problems and was unable to remember tasks and finish them. Last year she was motivated by GASS  to join this project. Initially she did not mingle with other beneficiaries. Through regular communication and training she slowly started interacting with others. Now she has learned silk thread products and flower sorting skills. She is earning a regular income from the Green skilling program as part of the group enterprise. Now she is actively participating in other activities also.

Name: Lekha (name changed)

Partner: Women’s Interlink Foundation, Kolkata

Profile: Lekha lived with her parents in the suburbs of Kolkata. After her mother’s untimely death, she ran away from home and ended up at Sonagachhi, a red light area in Kolkata. In Sonagachhi, she was kept locked up in a room in a brothel. She was beaten up severely and given no food for days to force her into prostitution. Being battered physically and mentally she was left with no choice but to toe the line. However, she was always looking for a chance to flee. One day when an opportunity came, she ran away to the local youth club and asked for help. The local youth took her to WIF’s Centre in Sonagachhi and with the help of the social worker there, she was admitted to Nijoloy Home.

Impact: At the home, Lekha joined the informal educational classes. She helped in the tailoring section. She also learnt jewellery making with beads for a short while. She is a slow learner. She joined the tailoring training, started working on a few orders and started earning a few thousands every month. Lekha has gained in confidence gradually and has become cheerful and enthusiastic. She has continued working on orders under the up skilling programme, learning more complex types of stitching and banking substantial earnings regularly.