Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Sambhali Trust in May 2013

Dear Friends!

Please meet some of Sambhali's participants.


Anita

Hi, my name is Anita, being a woman, in a Dalit caste and disabled, my chances in life to become independent were slim. We don’t live far from Sambhali ‘s empowerment center. I used to ride on the back of my little sister to come to Sambhali Trust Jodhpur Empowerment Center.
Five year ago, before I have joined Sambhali Trust, I always thought of myself being a burden on my family. I know I am disabled and would never be able to marry. After my mother and father will have grown old, I will not know what to do, where to go and who would care for me.
I came to Sambhali, I learned how to read and write. I learned art and craft techniques. For past two years, I have been one of the graduates of the Sambhali Trust and at Sambhali Graduates Sewing center, I hand-make products for the Sambhali Boutique, Sambhali Stall and orders nationally and internationally. We learn new skills from foreign volunteers and I am very proud to earn a living and financially help my father run our home.
Since I started to earn some living, I am respected at home by my younger brothers and sisters and other family members.
I feel like flying…

Usha

Meet Usha, she is one of our first graduates from the trust, she studied with us at the Sambhali Jodhpur Empowerment Center. We know her for nearly six years. Usha is earning about 4500rps a month, she is good in embroidery, stitching and block printing items for Sambhali's Boutique and other national and international orders.
Usha came to us the other day and said I am 21 years old now, My parents would have arranged married me five years back, by now i would have been a mother of three-four children. I am thankful to Sambhali for giving me the opportunity to learn and earn. She mentioned that she is financially independent and helps her family with finances and running/operational costs of the family. She mentioned to us that she is earning more than her brother and is respected equal to him in the family. We are very proud of Usha, because of the trust and faith of people like her Sambhali Trust exist and keeps on reaching more and more women and girls in need.





Participants and staff from one of our women and girls empowerment centers who finished two years back. A very memorable picture of participants and staff playing cricket on one fine afternoon of Saturday.
 

Mrs. India Goodwill International 2013 Megha Arup organized five days self-defense workshop by Mr. Parminder of SMAGYA. The workshop was organized for Sambhali Jodhpur Empowerment Center participants. The workshop was very well planned and our participants enjoyed it very much.




We were very honored to be invited by Rajasthan Patrika newspaper "Jago Janmat" Program to promote, encourage people to come out and use their vote.


The Fort:

Mehrangarh Musuem Trust in partnership with The Museum of Fine Art, Houston, has offered solar lamps under their Little Sun to Off-Grid India project.
We were generously given 20 solar lamps for our participants of Sambhali Sheerni Women Self-Help Groups of Setrawa and Solankiya-tala villages.
We are thankful to them and we love the little sun!!

Sambhali Austria:

My Dear Friends, after the opening of Freunde Fuer Sambhali in Germany this January 2013, we are very happy to announce our partner organization in Linz, Austria called SAMBHALI AUSTRIA. Wish all of us luck to bring more happiness to the underprivileged women and girls coming to Sambhali Trust for help and support. www.sambhali-austria.at



News:

We went to attend District meeting by the administration of the town for three important topics. First one was about child marriage, since Rajasthan is highest in India with Child Marriages problem. Second topic was banning people to smoke in public areas and display /advertisements of tobacco products and the third option was pension for single women (widows, divorced, single mothers). The meeting was fruitful, we got to learn much and we also participated actively by giving suggestions for making the policies meet the needs of beneficiaries. 


Sheerni Self-Helf Groups:

Meera Khatri , Mohini Devi, Nijro Devi, Vimla devi, Sua Devi bought cows for dairy, Bheeka Devi
Indira Devi for grocery little shops and Neema Devi for sewing machine living in Setrawa village. Shakuntala devi bought cow for dairy and Bhanwari Devi for a little grocery store from Solankiya tala village.

These women chose to be entrepreneurs in these two villages in the Thar Desert of India. Sambhali Trust assists these women by setting up self-help groups and monitoring. By taking little loans from their self-help groups these women partner with the men at home for eradicating poverty in their families.

New lease of life for mine workers' widows -Sambhali Sheerni Self-Help Group project.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/New-lease-of-life-for-mine-workers-widows/articleshow/19874649.cms?




Sambhali Scholarship Program:

A wonderful day.. Our first five participants of Sambhali Scholarship project girls will be passing 12th standard this year. They have been already enrolled in Indian Hotel Management institute in Jodhpur for two months training course for becoming a chef. Two months later five of the girls will participate in the same institute for Front office hotel management. We are proud of Bindiya, Bharti, Sonu, Madhu and Priyanka. We are very thankful to their sponsors who stayed with them for all these years and had trusted us with their schooling. Participants in picture with Govind S. Rathore, Founder/ Managing Trustee of the organization.




Sambhali's participants: One story

Dakhu Devi, tied to a tree on and off for past five years because of chronic psychological illness "post natal psychosis". Due to Niglency of her husband, her mother and her entire family she has never been able to fully recover. We went to see her the other day in the village and the poor girl was tied outside of her house under the tree. Many of you have met her and known her for years. This is third time we have brought her to Jodhpur and have admit her in a hospital. Wish us luck this time. The mother would never leave her under our care and protection and would not take care of her by herself.




Sheerni Girls Home:

Rekha, participant at the Sambhali Sheerni Educational program (Boarding home) got her ear drum operation done in Jodhpur with the help of Shri Swami Madhavananda Austria Hospital. Rekha with her mother.