When Maya was studying she wanted to become a police officer and with the support of IPHD, she managed to complete her schooling. Maya got married at a very young age and had a beautiful son, making work hard. In addition, her husband's home is 15km away from Bhikamkore so she would have to travel 30 km every day in order to reach the center. Despite this, Maya fought for her right to be able to work. Now, full of life and always leaving room to make light of the heavy, Maya is an irreplaceable part of our center.

Our Artisans

As a social enterprise, we do not have artisans that are already skilled. Instead, it is our goal to allow women from marginalised communities build themselves up through skills training. Their unique perspectives have the potential to transform their communities, the fashion industry as a whole, and their own lives.

When she first got involved with the Saheli Center, Rukiya was intimidated by stitching and insisted on only being a cleaner. For a few months she only cleaned, then slowly began to learn stitching and embroidery. She was a fast learner and a strong character who naturally led the workflow of herself and others. Eventually she moved on to become a quality control manager and is now manager of our whole Bhikamkor centre. With her newfound profession, she hopes to see them all her children become engineers, doctors, or elected leaders of Bhikamkor. If she could do it, so can they.

Young Samdha experienced a very painful migration from Pakistan to India. She was one of the very first women to join our Kali Beri centre. From the hardships she endured as a child laborer in the mining industry to now working in our centre, her journey has shaped her to be the powerful woman she is today. She loves stitching and mostly, the positive environment at Saheli Women.

Nanu is the epitome of hope. She was married young into a very poor family that struggled to find food and water on daily basis. Before joining the center she worked at the farm to help her family earn an income, but it was never enough. Now, Nanu loves to stitch and is very happy to have finally found her passion at Saheli Women with an income that allows her to educate her children and give them the childhood she could never have. Cheers to Nanu!

Lakshmi and her children used to be laborers, working several months out of the year just to send all the money to her mother-in-law. Now she thinks of herself as an artisan with enough money to send her children to school. As a survivor of domestic violence and the sole income earner, she persevered through hardship and joined the center for her family’s happiness. Lakshmi says she used to feel very vulnerable - like she was dropped onto the earth without any power. But now she feels very empowered in all aspects of her life.

Nisha has a rebellious soul and learns her craft with speed and determination. Her parents did not allow her to go to school despite her desire to, going as far as burning her books when she didn't obey. Now, Nisha is a mother of 4 who aims to give her children the safe environment she never had and is steadily getting there with the confidence she has gained at the center. She is always smiling at our center. and when asked about it says, “I was born happy.”

When asked what setbacks she had faced in her life she laughed and said “what are you talking about I'm the most powerful woman in the world.” She says, “the centre feels like I am in my mothers home. I feel so happy here that I don’t want to leave.” She explained that although she has faced a lot of hardships in her life, the sisterhood and support of the women at the centre has allowed her to see life through a positive lens again.

Before working at the centre Sushilla did not have access to a washroom- all of her clothes were dirty or broken due to extreme poverty; but her spirit was not. After a week of teaching from Masterji at our center Shushilla repaired almost all of her clothing and now has the means to wash her clothes. Despite her husband telling her not to socialize at the center, our women taught her not to be afraid and to enjoy life. “Before joining I felt suffocated in my home. Being able to come here every day has taught me freedom and joy.” I can dance now… I could not before.”

Razia got married when she was only 3, incapable of understanding what that meant for her life. Later, she migrated to India from Pakistan at the age of 15 with her husband. Razia didn’t hear from her parents for 22 years because she couldn’t afford a phone. “Saheli women is like therapy to me, it keeps me distracted and happy,” she says. Razia is a mother of 4 and says her children will never go through what she did. Razia has big dreams for her children and hopes to slowly achieve them through her work at the center.

After a painstaking immigration process, Sonari finally received her Indian citizenship, giving her the feeling of freedom and safety. Sonari is a mother of four beautiful children and came to India in hopes to give them a better future. She has big dreams planned for them and mentions Saheli women as the medium for that. “Stitching makes me feel like an artist. Every piece I make is very close to my heart.” Sonari truly is an artist.

Rajiya came to India from Pakistan five years ago with her six children, two daughters, and four sons. There, she worked as a labourer in Pakistan, but felt unsafe due to violence she faced and threats to her identity. Rajiya does not want her daughters to experience the same hardship and lack of access to contraception as she experienced. She explains that mother earth knows the struggle they have gone through, but that mother earth also knows their innocence in these difficult situations. After her husband sustained an injury which prevented him from working, she decided to come to the Saheli centre. Now Rajiya feels happy, safe, and was even able to pay for her husband’s operation to treat his injury. She feels empowered and proud to be a part of a community that motivates and supports each other.

Pooja has two beautiful children and it was always her dream to send them to school, but her husband’s work was not consistent enough to send them. “The Saheli centre has given me mental peace, allowed me to get my children into school, get them medical care and has improved my relationship with my husband. I get so much joy from supporting my family and finding peace in my workplace”

Geeta is a passionate woman who has persevered through a number of personal tragedies. Before joining the center, she stitched for the people in her village, taught by her mother-in-law. She has set such a high standard that she is now a quality control manager at Bhikamkor. As a single mother and the sole earner in her family she is able to send both of her sons to university with her income. Rockstar!

Beautiful Moru is a Pakistani Hindu immigrant who traveled here along with her family 12 years ago. Past the border there were many problems waiting for them; within a month her father and grandfather were arrested for terrorism interrogation for 2 years until proven innocent. Even when that was over, there were struggles putting food on the table and a roof over their head. After joining Saheli Women Moru feels like she can bring financial help to her families and provide them with the lifestyle she desires.

Nasibi is mother to 4 children. Her husband worked in the mining industry but due to severe injuries is not able to work anymore. She feels that is her responsibility to earn for her family now. A self-motivated queen, she says Saheli Women drives her to wake up early and finish all the house chores so that she can come to our centre to learn and work with the other ladies.

Joining the Saheli Center was a struggle for Sharmili because her husband did not want her to work. Luckily, her mother in-law persuaded him to let her join and the two of them combined willed it to happen. Sharmili feels independence and confidence when she walks into our center. In addition to Saheli Women, she is also the librarian at the children’s library near her.

Before joining, Saraswati used to run a hostel with her husband. Eventually, this operation ran into financial problems, leaving her jobless. Now at the center, her kindness and supportive attitude makes her a leader to the other women. In her free time she stitches sarees for her daughter and loves to cook for her family.

Before joining the Saheli Center Shanti would stitch kurtas for her neighbors at a nearby farm. When she joined the Saheli Center she was excited to learn professional techniques that could elevate her family’s financial state. Her loving family comprises of her three children and husband who also works for an NGO.

Jyoti joined the center a few years ago as a teacher to support our Girls Education Project. Because of her third pregnancy, she had to take a much-needed break from her job. Now she is back with us, and this time she is making sustainable fashion as her income-earning. She feels that this job gives her the freedom to design her working hours and she can also bring her children to the center. She and her children love coming to the Saheli Center as there is an open place for them to play here. She knows says that being financially empowered is the only way to give her children a safe childhood and nurture them with lots of love.

Poonam is the mother of three beautiful daughters. When she found out about the center she said she was immediately let in and started training the next day. She’s so proud of herself for supporting her family during hard times.

Before joining the Saheli Center, Bharti worked 12 painstaking hours on a farm for minimal wages. She started with Saheli as a health outreach worker and eventually joined the Center as a stitcher. With her trademark energy and passion she picked the craft up quickly. Her favorite aspects of the Center are its flexibility and the positive social environment with the other ladies at work.

Leela is a young woman with a great eye for design and an eagerness to learn. Previously a part of the farming community, she joined Saheli Women to earn a better wage to support her three daughters. Her dreams are to have enough money to send her children to college- little by little, she is achieving this dream.

Neetu is one of the youngest ladies in our centre at only 20 years old. Before joining the Saheli Center, Neetu knew nothing about stitching. In a short time she learned the entire process of garment construction through our training programs. Currently she is working on her Bachelor's of art degree using the money she earns stitching to pay her tuition fees. She is very skilled at math and can even be found helping the Saheli managers with accounting and double checking their work. In the future Neetu hopes to become a teacher in the village.

This strong woman is known as Santu in our Saheli Center. She is the mother of two beautiful daughters who both attend their local school. She is one of the lucky women who had her husband’s support to learn and work from the beginning. Her family dynamic is a great example of the support systems that we strive to nourish in rural Indian communities.

Suman’s children are older and have left home. Before joining the centre she taught our now manager Rukiya how to sew traditional clothing, and when she joined, Rukiya was teaching her the Western styles! She has loved learning how to sew western clothing and loves to make them for her daughter who wants to be singer. Every good singer should have a good outfit! Suman said “I love listening to music, relaxing whilst stitching, and discussing village politics with all my friends at work.”

Like many women with us this is Sonia’s first job. She loves socializing with everyone at work, especially “being kind to people and bringing a relaxed energy to the centre.” Since working here she has been able to save money and has a disposable income to spend where she likes!

Always the happy face at our centre, Pathani makes us laugh hard with her goofy jokes. “My pain will never stop me from smiling” she says. Pathani is a Pakistani Hindu immigrant and came to India when she was 12. She loves that she can choose her own hours and that she can bring her children to the center. Without this, she would not be able to work. Her favorite stitches are ones with bright colors. “At Saheli Women I found the talent that I didn’t know I had.”

Mother to 6, brave Matli came to India 8 years ago along with her family in search for a better livelihood. The journey from Pakistan to India was traumatizing, she says, from selling all her gold for traveling and documentation costs to getting robbed on her way, it was heartbreaking for us to imagine her story. Life in India is very difficult for them, but Matli said she was ready to leave because she used to have to work for no money. Now, she is able to support her family financially and provide her children with education, laughter, and love in the Saheli community.

Shabnam is a 25 year old mother of two daughters. Like many other women, Shabnam's husband is a miner but she doesn’t like his job because it is life threatening. As an immigrant, she feels like India is her own country now. "I am not scared of going out alone. I don't need a man to accompany me when I am going out. My daughters can also attend the school. Now I want to be financially independent to support my husband.” Shabnam took this dream and ran and is now our cutting manager at Kali Beri!