Rekha Sen

Rekha Sen of Gohandi, Phagi block in Jaipur district, grew up watching her mother, Mithu Devi, raise her and her two siblings singlehandedly, as an Anganwadi worker. For Rekha, her mother was her role model, whose persistence made her value financial stability and independence. However, opportunities being scant and having little knowledge about opportunities, the best thing Rekha could find was a job at a paltry salary of Rs 3000 — an amount so low that it barely helped improve the economic situation at home.

As a result, when Rekha met Sushila Kawar, a Manzil Community Motivator, it took little convincing for her to enrol for a specialised market-driven skill-training course in retail in Jaipur. The journey was challenging. Pursuing the course entailed living alone for the first time in a big city and battling homesickness alongside greater issues like the social pressures of marriage. She recalls several moments when she felt like giving up. This is where Sushila stepped in again.

“Sushila didi promised to get more girls from my village. When my morale dipped, she became my sounding board, reminding me of my mother’s extraordinary grit while raising us single-handedly,” says Rekha.

Rekha completed the course and got a job as Retail Sales Associate at a retail store in Jaipur, with a compensation of Rs 10,000. Rekha’s journey has already become aspirational for several girls in her village, who are taking similar courses and trying to forge an independent life. Rekha has become a role model for many such girls. “Sometimes life indeed comes a full circle,” she says. Her salary has helped improve her family’s situation, and she has even proceeded to fund her college degree with her salary.