NON-TRADITIONAL SKILLS AND
LIVELIHOODS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS

What have been our points of change?

In the last one year, Girls Count indeed witnessed changes among the trainees, family members and the community about non-traditional skills and livelihoods. Many of the women and girls challenged the widely accepted gender norms by opting to work in male-dominated areas. They proved that certain occupations are no more limited to men. This led to a change in gender narratives, which has been evident in all six districts of intervention.

One of the most significant impacts of introducing non-traditional livelihoods across the districts has been that women and girls are challenging the normative structures of patriarchy in every sense of the term.

With life-skill and gender training being significant components of the programme, we are witnessing women asserting themselves as equals across spaces. They are gaining their voice, making themselves heard, voicing their opinions, exercising their choices, finding their own identity and most importantly being part of decision-making processes both within and outside their homes.

Voices of Change from the Ground

From an ignored home-maker to being a decision maker

Thirty-two year old, Sarojben Patni from Ahmedabad, a wife and a mother of two children is a trained electrician today. This journey from being a home-maker to a trained electrician has not been easy. Narrating her journey Sarojaben says, “In our society, girls are not seen as someone who can make a mark. All we are expected to do is get married and raise kids. But I have always been curious. When I came to know about the electrical training I immediately enrolled for it. But it has not been an easy journey for me. Though I enrolled, I had to finish all my household chores and attend training sessions. Most of the days I would be late for my classes. At times even our trainer would be annoyed. But with time they realized and understood my difficult circumstances. I completed my training. I could demonstrate to others what I have learnt when one of our neighbour’s fan stopped working and I fixed it. Everyone stared at me in disbelief that I fixed a fan. That moment changed my life. Now everyone in the neighbourhood and most importantly my family treat me with respect. I do not have to seek permission if I step out. Now as a family member even my opinion counts in any decision”.

Breaking barriers of patriarchy to seek economic independence

Uma Gularia is a 22-year-old woman from Indore. She is a graduate and a trained two-wheeler mechanic. From being a young married Adivasi woman to a trained mechanic, her journey has been far from ordinary. Sharing her journey of financial independence Uma says, “I am a commerce graduate, and I always wanted to be financially independent. So when I heard about the training, I immediately wanted to enrol. But my husband had objections; he said being a mechanic is not a woman’s job. It is done only by men. This further fuelled my determination. I managed to convince him and started training. Soon after the training, I got a job at the service centre. But even at the workplace, I faced discrimination from my male peers. They would constantly criticize my work. My neighbours too began saying, going out and working with men is not accepted. All these demotivated me and I left the job. But I was not going to give up. I kept looking for a job and found employment at another service centre. I worked very hard here; my employers and customers appreciated my work. Today I have been promoted to be a supervisor. I feel happy and proud that I have come this far on my own, and will continue my journey by challenging all barriers.”

Voices of Changing Attitudes from the Ground

The second most critical impact has been a shift in the approach of men towards their women members both inside the family as well as outside. Over the journey of the programme, we have witnessed fathers, brothers, husbands, uncles, grandfathers, employers and male colleagues shift their stance of being critical, sarcastic to being appreciative, respectful of the women in their families and workspaces.

A journey from being doubtful to a proud father

Khokun Adhikary, 50 years old, is Pooja Adhikary’s father who trained as a mobile repairing technician in Howrah. Mr Adhikary says, “I am a small-time hawker in the South Eastern Railways. From very early on in my life I have had to struggle. With my history of struggle and having faced so many different challenges when Pooja approached me that she wished to take up the mobile repair training, I was apprehensive. I had never heard or seen girls being mobile technicians. So when she told me, I was not very convinced. But my daughter was insistent so I agreed. Today when I see her repairing mobiles I feel very proud. She has set an example for other younger girls who want to be economically independent. However, the only concern for me is the safety of my daughter.

Changing attitudes: From being sceptical to acknowledging the contribution of women workers

Manoj Kumar Shaw, a furniture wholesale dealer in Ranchi employs four women in his furniture workshop. He says, “I am a wholesale dealer for furniture with a workshop that has 14 staff out of which four are women. The idea of equal opportunity is not easy to implement, all of us have our reservations. I was sceptical in the beginning. This is a skilled area of work. Particularly this trade is completely male-dominated. However, I employed these four women as a trial. But today I see them working at par with their male colleagues. With time I realized, my women workers are more diligent, cooperative and have been delivering good quality work, meeting deadlines. I am glad I took this decision of employing women”.