Solving the Tragedy of India's Widows
Eight years ago, Afsana and her husband decided to kill themselves. Her husband succeeded. Afsana survived, and her life as a widow began. Life started from the depths of despair but now has the triumph of self-determination with the help of Sambhali Trust.
Before Afsana’s marriage, she had lived a happy life. But once she got married and moved to her husband’s house, things deteriorated. She suffered daily physical and verbal abuse from her mother-in-law and her brother-in-law, while her husband did nothing to protect her. Financial problems burdened the family, and they were torn between educational costs for their three children and other necessities. Thus, one night in 2012, Afsana and her husband decided to end their lives.
India has recorded the highest number of widows in the entire world. In India, and particularly in Rajasthan, with its patriarchal culture, the trauma of losing a husband is compounded by the cultural and social restrictions imposed on widows. Married women are expected to live in their husbands' multi-generational family homes for the rest of their lives, thereby subjecting them to an increased risk of exploitation after their husbands' death. Indian widows are often stigmatized and shunned as they are viewed as carriers of bad luck or as the cause of their husbands' death. Most widows in India are excluded from any interaction in social spaces - private and public - and suffer socially and financially. And because women in India often prematurely end their education to marry while still very young, many Indian widows are illiterate. Due to their lack of sufficient schooling, financial resources, and self-esteem, India's widows generally avoid pressing charges when they are being abused or mistreated.
Most widows in India are excluded from any interaction in social spaces - private and public - and suffer socially and financially.
After her husband’s death, Afsana struggled to care for her children and do the housework with minimal financial support from her own and the in-law family. Fortunately, her brother-in-law encouraged her to go to the women’s center at Sambhali Trust, hoping that she would develop skills that could help the family’s survival. Afsana went to Sambhali Trust and, in doing so, turned her life around. At Sambhali Trust, Afsana became proficient in sewing and embroidery. After one year, she showed such promise that she received her own sewing machine and a paid job at the Sambhali Graduate Sewing Center. Afsana loves to create room decorations- silk trees and stars – symbols of growth and light.
In addition to becoming adept at marketable skills, Afsana also developed the ability to stand up for herself and her family, thanks to her experience at Sambhali Trust. Afsana’s parents-in-law tried to get rid of her by marrying her off. But friends at the sewing center encouraged her to stand up to them and resist their on-going devaluing comments and harsh actions. Afsana now knows how to say “no” to them. She has her own room and cooks her own food for herself and her children. Because of the supportive community that she discovered at Sambhali Trust, Afsana has gained the confidence to fight for herself and her family and no longer permits her voice to be suffocated.