Manishaben: Reclaiming Her Ground

In the village of Bhiljamboli, Manishaben is quietly rebuilding her life.

At 29, she is a divorced single mother raising her young daughter while caring for her elderly mother. She does not have a house or land in her own name. The space she lives in is shared, the future she is shaping is entirely her responsibility.

Her daughter is in primary school — small in years, but already watching her mother closely. For Manishaben, that matters deeply. She wants her child to grow up with confidence, with education, and with the belief that setbacks do not define a woman’s worth.

Today, Manishaben earns through seasonal farm labour. The work is physically demanding and irregular. Some months are manageable; others are uncertain. The rhythm of her income depends on the rhythm of the agricultural cycle.

Yet within her is a different aspiration.

She is skilled in preparing traditional snacks — from savoury mixtures to papad and grain-based foods. These are recipes learned over years, skills shaped by experience. With proper training, tools, and small-scale financial support, she has the potential to build a home-based food enterprise — something steadier than daily wage labour, something she can call her own.

Manishaben is part of a local self-help group, which has become a source of encouragement and solidarity. Through it, she has begun saving and building financial discipline. It is a small but meaningful step toward independence.

However, one significant barrier remains — documentation. Without essential identity and eligibility documents in place, she has been unable to access government welfare schemes that could support her housing, livelihood, and her daughter’s education. The absence of paperwork has quietly limited opportunity. With guidance and assistance in securing proper documentation, Manishaben can unlock rightful entitlements and strengthen the foundation of her family’s future.

What stands out about her is not limitation.
It is resilience.
It is the courage to restart.
It is the determination to ensure her daughter grows up with stability and dignity.

At the Smt Jayalakshmi Memorial Single Mother Foundation, we believe women like Manishaben do not need rescue.
They need partnership.
They need pathways.
They need someone to walk beside them.
Because when a mother reclaims her ground, her daughter learns how to claim her future. Our promise… no single mother walks alone. 🌿