Stitching As Her Weapon, Pratibha Takes On Life's Challenges

Sakri Tehsil, Maharashtra: Pratibha Pravin Khonde, a resident of Sakri Tehsil of Dhule district in Maharashtra defied all the challenges, took charge of her life and transformed it. Armed with self-determination, will power and hard work she is now changing the lives of other women in her village. Life came to a standstill for Pratibha when her husband, Pravin, a barber by profession, was diagnosed with a serious health condition and had to be hospitalised. The financial condition of the family was in shambles. With no money to pay for her husband's treatment, Pratibha was left with no option but to borrow from her relatives.

Deep in debt, the financial situation worsened when Pravin couldn't get back to work due to his health condition. Piling debts combined with fear for her son's future, forced Pratibha to step out of the confines of her domestic life and hunt for work. Around the same time she came across the Usha Silai School programme and got herself enrolled. During the seven days training period she developed a passion for sewing and honed her skills for stitching.

With the free sewing machine given by the Silai School Pratibha started stitching clothes and earn a steady income. After some time she started her own school within her house. The aim was not only to make extra money but also to enable other women to earn their own livelihood. Many of Pratibha's students are now teaching other women and becoming financially independent.

With increasing number of women joining her Silai school to learn, Pratibha's income increased and she now earns around Rs 7,000-8,000 per month. With her earnings she is paying for her husband's treatment and gradually paying off her debts.  

Currently, Pravin is still recovering from his illness and Pratibha is the sole earning member of the household. It is not easy for someone like Pratibha to break the shackles of societal norms that is steeped in patriarchy and to fight the mindset that the rightful place of a woman is within the four walls of her house, looking after her family. In the face of adversity, it becomes harder not only to fight the battle within of survival but also to taken on and shake the deep rooted biases and beliefs of the world outside. Pratibha has managed to do both, with her determination, hard work and skill she has indeed set an example and given hope to many other women in her village and brought about a change for future generations to follow.