I just returned from my second trip to India as a Sambhali U.S. volunteer. As I've been processing everything I experienced this year, one word keeps coming up: trust, and how important it is to Sambhali's work.

In the communities where Sambhali works, consent by the family means the difference between joining a Sambhali program and staying at home all day, so it is crucial that husbands and in-laws trust that letting their wives attend the programs will positively impact family life. Sambhali ensures the program hours are conducive to the participant's responsibilities at home. The women have enough time to get all the housework done before the program starts and can start bringing home money as soon as they learn the sewing skills they need, even before they finish the program and earn their sewing machine.

Women and members of the LGBTQ+ community who are experiencing abuse trust that Sambhali is a safe space where they can get help and protection.

I saw significant trust-building with the communities in Jaisalmer. After two years of consistent Sambhali presence, women attend the programs regularly. After losing the use of several buildings, women opened up their homes so that the programs could continue. One woman even offered to close her store during program hours so Sambhali could use the space. The biggest show of trust is that 14 girls are now in Sambhali boarding homes in Jodhpur. They trust Sambhali enough with their daughters to send them five hours away from home for a better education. (In the village of Setrawa, where Sambhali has had a presence for years and is a trusted entity, it is now common for the girls there to go to school and many to college.) 

Last year, I was upset over several boarding home girls getting married before they finished school. I needed to trust the process. Sambhali along with the young women themselves negotiated to continue their education, and they are doing it and passing with flying colors. Talking to one of them, she exuded confidence, explaining how she would be the most educated person in her village and how she wanted to be a leader who would change how they think about education.

This trip reinforced that Sambhali's years of sustained community engagement have built a level of trust that is transforming the communities of Jodhpur, Setrawa, and Jaisalmer. That impact will spread as educated girls get married and go to other communities to build and educate their families.

As a volunteer or a donor, your trust in Sambhali is a testament to the tangible difference being made in the lives of women and girls, offering them a pathway to a brighter future they can trust.

With gratitude,

Ginka Poole
Vice President
Sambhali U.S.