Nithari Village Rises Up From Its Dark Past, Courtesy Usha Silai School

After the Nithari serial murder case, many women feared for the children's lives and didn't let them go out of their sight. This stopped them from practicing any profession in order to financially help out their families. It was when Joint Women's Programme (JWP) promised to look after the children of those attending the USHA Silai training, and motivated the women to come forward and grab the opportunity.

The JWP organisation has not only provided the women of Nithari village crèches, but also motivated them to not let the tragic past keep them from becoming self-sufficient and independent women.

Deepika, a resident of Nithari village, took JWP organisation's help in building her life the way she wanted. 'I always wanted to go to college and study, but because we couldn't afford the fees, it never happened', she said. 'I still want to study and with JWP's help, I have earned enough money to eventually enroll for a course.'

'We thought if we could provide protection to these women in their work atmospheres or learning centers and also set up crèches for their children, than they could be taught valuable skills for their betterment' said Jyotsna Chatterjee, director, JWP.

'Children were lost during the Nithari murders' said Manisha, a resident of the village. As she remembers the time that took the lives of more than 19 children in a house owned by a businessman named Moninder Singh Pandher with his servant being an accomplice, the grief became evident on her face.

'I came to Nithari when the gruesome incident happened' said Padmini Kumar, Assitant Director, JWP. 'After the CBI took over, I continued with the project of bringing the children together under one roof and keeping them in a safe environment so that their mothers could go to work. This was our main aim with which we started this program.'

'I didn't want to work in someone's house' said Sheela, a Nithari resident. 'It was my dream to study and have a respectable job.' Her dream became a reality when she enrolled herself for the Usha Silai School program.

Sheela has been working with JWP for the past decade and has been not only teaching sewing, but is also helping out at the crèche in order to give back to the society and help more women like her get free from the shackles of daily wage laborers.