Sambhali Trust provides underprivileged Rajasthani women and girls with educational, vocational, and social skills to help them to become confident and financially independent. We specifically work with Dalit women and girls, who usually have little or no access to education or basic health services. They do not even have the right to choose their husband and manage that relationship. In addition to helping break the cycle of poverty and financial dependence on family members, Sambhali Trust gives these women a voice and a support network to nurture their hopes, dreams, and ambitions.
An Introduction to Sambhali Trust
A Sambhali Story
My name is Sanju Jawa. I’m 29 years old. I went to school until the end of Year 9. My favourite subjects at school were English and economics. We learned about India and other countries – the school principal was our teacher.
I’m married. I got married twelve years ago and I have two children. They both go to school. They really like school. From March they will have scholarships from Sambhali.
Fourteen people live in our joint family. They are my parents, my two brothers, their wives and our children. I’m single – my husband used to hit me. He didn’t look after me or my children and now he lives with another woman. I am very happy to be back with my own family. I’m happy and my children are happy.
In our family, my two brothers and my mother have private jobs. My father has been blind for 10 years and he is on bed rest now. Money is very difficult for us.
My niece told me about Sambhali. I started here eight months ago. I like reading English, sewing and embroidery.
Before I started coming here, for four years I was already working and cooking in a girls’ hostel. Every morning at 7AM I went to the girls’ hostel and then I came here at 11:30AM. I get up at 5:30AM and prepare the breakfast and lunch for the family. Usually I came here by bus – Govind gave me the money to come here.
I am very happy that now my dreams can come true. I am now an employee at Sambhali Trust, I am assistant at the Sambhali Boutique. I make good income here and I am financially independend and able to make my dreams come true for the future of my children, who can graduate. My daughter will be a Circle Inspector officer in the police, and my son will be a computer engineer.
