A source of pride for Chameli

Chameli is a 26-year old mother of three daughters and one son. Her husband is a roadside iron-worker who earns about 2,000 rupees ($55) per month, and Chameli stays at home and looks after their young children. In Chameli’s community, women are rarely permitted to venture outside of their homes, so it was a big step for the family when her husband acquiesced to her requests to join AIC’s Basic Tailoring Class at a the nearby Health and Community Centre last year. Since that time, Chameli has gone on to complete the Basic Class, and is now enrolled in AIC’s Intermediate Tailoring Class. Chameli has been absolutely thriving in this new environment, and has absorbed the new skills and challenges with ease. After having spent her entire life subordinate to the men in her life, her confidence has visibly increased since joining the class, and her newly-acquired tailoring skills are a source of pride. Furthermore, Chameli was never permitted to attend school as a child, so she has also been benefiting from the women’s literacy element of the class, which is an additional half hour every day after the tailoring component is finished.

Thank you, Jigna, Heather and Neil (x4) for coming together to ensure that Chameli is able to go through the Intermediate Tailoring Course. This will guarantee greater economic independence and a louder voice within the family.