#SHEIS: We Take Part in Global Citizen's Empowerment Campaign

“Too many women are unaware of the potential they have within themselves.” 

– Global Citizen on the #SHEIS Campaign.

Six of our students from Sambhali’s Jodhpur Empowerment Centre pose with the hashtag #SHEIS … finishing off the sentences for themselves. Despite their tough social circumstances, every girl’s attribute remains positive: strong, empowered, happy, smart, brave, amazing (we even had the great suggestion of superman – which in itself just shows how optimistic our students are!)

Women in India are suppressed by their social or economic situation.

Whether it’s a basic like the right to an education or the opportunity to acquire a loan, women in India are socially and economically limited. The restrictions that females face are deeply rooted in both religious and social traditions, having a negative impact on their daily lives and futures. At Sambhali, we’re passionate about breaking down the barriers that stand between bright, powerful females and the independent futures that they deserve.

Less than half of Indian women are literate.

Global Citizen aims to empower women through the enduring power of women in communities all over the world, as do we. Join us in this movement by taking your own photo using the hashtag #SHEIS.

Each of our centres provides an education in Maths, English, Hindi and vocational training for at risk and uneducated girls and women from the Dalit community in Rajasthan. This training involves stitching, embroidery and block printing in a safe, resourceful and inspiring environment where their creativity can shine. The training opens doors to a sustainable career making high quality artisan handicrafts that will lead to financial and social independence for every woman.

Even when girls in Rajasthan are educated, they still face fundamental barriers to achieving economic success.

Rajasthan is a difficult place to be a woman due to:

• Limited education
• Gender expectations
• Caste discrimination
• Work opportunities

These issues affect woman India wide, but particularly in Rajasthan where The 2011 Census found that 73% of Rajasthani women were unemployed & 1.1 million women in the region were looking for work. Long established patriarchal traditions keep Rajasthani women's literacy rates at the lowest in the country. We firmly believe that education is only the beginning to women's progression and that's why we keep fighting for the women and girls of Rajasthan.

Sambhali Trust is dedicated to women's empowerment and rights in Rajasthan and we're going that step further to ensure that our students are fully supported - even after receiving an education. Sambhali's Graduate Sewing Centre offers an immersive and successful scheme that has 105 students this year alone. We're currently fundraising to ensure that each of these women receives a sewing machine upon her graduation. Unlikely to be able to afford her own machine, we want to guarantee every student independence and freedom for the rest of her life.

Want to change one woman's life forever? Donate to the sewing machine fund here: https://www.youcaring.com/sambhalitrust 

By Sophie Levens