With International Women’s Day next week, Sapna’s story is a testament to the transformative power of resilience and the unwavering spirit of women in the face of poverty and adversity. If there is just one woman on planet earth who we should honour this International Women’s Day 24, I think it should be Sapna.
Meet Sapna, an inspiring woman. Her story sums up why I (Doug) am so passionate about helping kids in poverty, why we do what we do, supporting these kids’ parents, and why my wife Rowena, began the Project Help India SHINE Women’s Empowerment Conferences in India about six years ago.
Sapna is the mother of children who attend one of our schools, located in one of the poorest slum areas in India. She and her family live displaced, under a makeshift tarpaulin on the roadside. In the tapestry of Sapna's life, there are mostly threads of adversity, made worse by the abject poverty of her circumstances …yet she still smiles.
Sapna sells cosmetics items, carrying her dreams in a basket atop her head. Every day, she walks the neighbourhood, door to door, rejected often by others and facing the challenges of daily wage labour – an existence marked by unpredictable income, job insecurity, and limited access to benefits. If she does not sell her cosmetics her family will go hungry.
A devoted mother of three children – Saloni, Kartik, and Ritik – Sapna's family relies on the educational support and daily meals provided by Project Help India’s Kotdwara Slum Centre. Her husband, Mr. Rakesh Kumar, recently has faced a sudden loss of vision, plunging the family into a world of uncertainty. Struggling with a hand-to-mouth existence, they could not afford medical attention, which may have helped him to get better.
In the wake of the 2023 monsoon floods, Sapna's challenges multiplied as her home was swept away, leaving her family of five displaced and homeless. They found solace under plastic sheets provided by Project Help India, living on the roadside – where they still live today.
Amidst these trials, Sapna discovered a beacon of hope – the ‘Project Help India’ SHINE Women's Conference. Attending this transformative event brought about a paradigm shift in her life. The conference offered empowerment, opportunities for learning, and a renewed sense of self-worth. Sapna, now the sole provider for her family, faces adversity not known to most women, yet fortified by newfound strength and resilience.
In a conversation about her journey, Sapna expressed gratitude for the positive changes instigated by attending the Shine Women's Conference over past years. The conference became a catalyst for heightened confidence, and a profound belief in herself. Undeterred by challenges, Sapna says she is determined to face whatever comes her way, embracing life with a newfound sense of value and purpose.
Sapna has vowed to make attending the Shine Women's Conference an annual tradition, something she says has become the main highlight of her year. She is incredibly excited about the conference next week.
Through this inspiring journey, Sapna has emerged not just as a breadwinner, and formidable mother, but as a beacon of empowerment, proving that a woman's strength knows no bounds.
With International Women’s Day next week, Sapna’s story is a testament to the transformative power of resilience and the unwavering spirit of women in the face of poverty and adversity.
Our seventh Women's SHINE Conference will be held next weekend. This annual event coincides with International Women’s Day 2024 which will be celebrated on 8th March. The theme for IWD this year is ‘inspire inclusion’ which is a theme that has great relevance for the many marginalised and forgotten women who we walk alongside through our many projects across Northern India.
This year SHINE will again be led by our local ‘Project Help India’ team. We are honoured and delighted to have over 500 delegates attending.
Like Sapna, nearly all our delegates are women who live in slums, in poverty. These women can't afford to pay, so we are not charging them. 'Project Help India' covers all costs thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters. This year SHINE Conference will cost us $9000 (which is about $15 per delegate). Might you be able to sponsor Sapna or more of our delegates? You can make your tax-deductible donation by clicking DONATE at the top of this page.
Thank you for your interest and support.
Love Doug and Rowena.