Every year the world dives in to celebrate Mother’s Day with zest. On May 12, we acknowledge the continuous efforts of a mother to nurture her children regardless of any circumstances of life. She withstands storms of difficulties while protecting her child’s future by giving her/him healthy nourishment, power of quality education and skills so that they can grow up to be strong individuals who can achieve and build a stable and successful life for themselves.
If one looks at a mother’s journey, then one shall realize that when a woman becomes a mother, she somehow stops being the woman she used to be before motherhood. She changes her lifestyle options, her decisions about career and many more things about herself, just to ensure that her child gets the best of care and her thorough attention. These little adjustments and big compromises shape her journey of motherhood which is why there is no denial in stating that a woman can stop being a woman, but a mother can never stop being a mother. Some women choose otherwise and that’s okay too.
As a way of showing our wholehearted gratitude towards every mother’s journey of her unique motherhood, we are sharing a few ground stories of real mothers from different corners of India, who have become exemplary examples of powerful mothers. These stories reflect the undying spirit of mothers who bore all sorts of difficulties only to pave a brighter future for their children and families.
Mother India- Tales of Women Economic Empowerment
Nagratna- A Helper Helped herself to become an Entrepreneur
Nagratna hails from Narayankare Village, a small rural district in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Once a humble helper who would go from house to house doing household chores, Nagratna and her family’s perpetual financial condition was a hand-to-mouth situation. But the real setback to her came when the pandemic started, which plunged her family into uncertainty. But fortunately, Nagratna got to know Smile Foundation and its work for women empowerment.
Introduction to the Swabhiman program felt like a lifeline to Nagratna. With guidance and financial support, she her own snacks business and began her entrepreneurship journey.
Through perseverance and comprehensive training, Nagratna’s small business turned into a sustainable source of income, providing stability for her family.
Driven by her dreams, Nagratna aspires to expand her business, nurturing her children’s dreams and hoping for a comfortable life for them. In doing so, she is inspiring other women to take charge of their own lives too .
Raj Kumari – “Stitching Dreams of Empowerment”
Once a dedicated homemaker, Raj Kumari’s life took a turn when she decided to start her own business. Her journey, driven by curiosity and fueled by sheer determination, led her towards learning financial literacy.
Initiating her journey with basic stitches and little knowledge, Raj found her true calling and potential through the Swabhiman program. Despite familial reservations, she worked hard to achieve her dream of financial independence.
Silencing the negative thoughts and discouragement of her family, she continued to garner new learning and ways to enhance her stitching skills. She received conclusive tailoring training through online classes which helped her in learning new techniques. As a result, she can now stitch a variety of garments flawlessly.
With continuous efforts and constant support from the trainers of the Swabhiman program, she has now opened her small boutique with many regular clients who admire Raj’s new designs – uncommon in their town. Her popularity has spread across the area. Seeing her success, those people who were against her for pursuing her passion have finally come around to supporting her and want to learn a few things themselves from Raj.
Raj feels glad that she did not give up on her dreams and continued her training with our initiative. She says she is happy that now she can inspire many other girls, wives, and mothers and start their journey of empowerment and independence.
Smile Foundation-Celebrating Women’s Empowerment on Mother’s Day
The stories of Nagratna and Raj Kumari are just a few examples of the powerful women we have come across through the Swabhiman program. Smile Foundation truly believes that women, especially mothers play a vital role in shaping society’s future.
Without a doubt, when a woman is empowered, she becomes the catalyst for progress and stability in her community.
Swabhiman offer mothers comprehensive healthcare, including reproductive and sexual health services, and make them understand and practice nutrition awareness for their physical well-being. Embracing a life-cycle approach, Swabhiman addresses every aspect of a mother’s development, including financial well-being, ensuring she emerges as a strong, independent individual.
Smile Foundation celebrates this Mother’s Day by envisioning a future where every Indian mother embodies good health and true empowerment, inspiring generations to come. It is time we unite to make a world where mothers are revered as the cornerstone of empowerment.