After attending SHINE, Prakashi now believes in herself. She used to think bad things about being the mother of two daughters, but now she sends them to school with her son. Shine has equipped all three women to understand their inner value and self worth.
In April the Thomas Family and a team of other Aussies will be heading to Kotdwara in North India for Project Help India’s third Women's SHINE Conference. This conference is an important aspect of the 'Project Help India' vision, and we are asking for your help to make this possible. Most of the Conference delegates are women who live in slums or jungle villages, in terrible poverty. These women can't afford to pay, so we are not charging them. We want to bless them and give them an experience they will never forget. Teenage girls, mothers, grandmothers, our teachers and community leaders will be attending. Our aim is to empower all women in all spheres of life.
Might you be able to sponsor one woman for $10, five women for $50 or ten women for $100, to be able to attend SHINE Conference You will be changing their lives in a significant way.
Prakashi’s Story
This story is of Prakashi Devi. She is of 42 years years old. Prakashi is wife of Mr. Arun (44yrs) he is an auto driver who earns 3000 rupees ($65AUS) per month. Prakashi is mother of 3 children. Akash (20 years), Kajal (16 years) and Khusboo (14 years). She works as a domestic helper and earns 1500 rupees ($32AUS) per month.
Prakashi says she has suffered from many hardships in her life. Once her son Akash suffered from tuberculosis, and during his recovery her husband got the same infection. She says after some time her son get rid of the disease but her husband must still take the medicines. She further says that there was a time when they had just had to eat chapatis (bread) with water as they couldn’t afford any vegetables. She says that ever since her children got admission in the ‘Project Help’ Center they never slept hungry because of the meals they received at the centre.
Prakashi says that she once thought ill things about her girls but since she attended Shine Conference she now feels she is proud of being a mother of daughters. Now she sends her daughters to the same school where her son is studying. She does more hard work to send all three of her children to a private school. She says she is now more aware of girls or lady’s health and hygiene. She adds that the best part of the SHINE Conference was when she danced on stage because she thinks she could have never got the chance to face such a crowd from a stage. SHINE has made her famous in her community. Prakashi regrets that if she would have studied as a young girl, she could have done something big in her life. She wishes that she was taught from a young age that girls are valued and important. She would have believed in herself.
For Shine Conference she says the best thing is that it is a conference of women from all ages, cultures and backgrounds, they are bound by love and unity. She has never experienced this before in her life. Prakashi cannot wait for SHINE 2020. It will be the highlight of her year.
(Report written by Project Help Field Officer)
Please keep Prakashi, and her 2 daughters in your thoughts and prayers. They are ready to SHINE some more.
If you could make a tax-deductible donation to support our work, we would really appreciate this. Click the donation button on our website.
Please also spread the word by sharing this blog if you might know people who might be passionate about women’s empowerment, human justice, anti-human trafficking, and who might be stirred to make a donation to this incredible cause (we need some help as the cost all adds up and is budgeted at $7500). Please also share Prakashi’s story with people you know whose business or company might like to support this wonderful cause. It’s tax deductible for businesses too.