Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): On International Women’s Day, we celebrate women who chose not to remain mute witnesses to gender discrimination, but instead became catalysts for change. These women have not only fought against patriarchy but have also provided shelter, education and empowerment to other women in distress.
Here's a look at four incredible changemakers:
Sister Lizy Thomas: Breaking barriers
For the last 25 years, Sister Lizy Thomas has been passionately advocating women’s empowerment. Her journey started at a young age, when she observed the challenges faced by women, particularly those in vulnerable situations across various states of India. Driven by her desire to bring about change, she began a women empowerment programme that has positively impacted over 20,000 distressed women in Madhya Pradesh. “My goal is to break societal barriers so that women can thrive, lead and achieve their potential in every sphere,” she says.
Kumud Singh: Passion for change
Kumud Singh’s story began with a home where she never faced any kind of discrimination. However, when she visited her ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh, she was outraged by the widespread gender-based discrimination. “As I grew up, I realised it was the patriarchal mindset that caused this, and my anger was replaced with a passion to create change,” she reflects. For the past 25 years, Kumud has been working to foster gender sensitivity and save the girl child. Her efforts even led her to quit her teaching job and stage street plays with her young daughter to raise awareness. “I felt blessed when people came up to me after these plays, saying that my words had changed their views towards girls and women,” she says.
Shibani Ghosh: Transforming lives
Shibani Ghosh, founder of ParvarishThe Museum School, embarked on her educational journey in 2005 with just 40 students from Bhopal’s slums. Today, her UNESCO-awarded school has empowered over 5,000 underprivileged children by providing quality education and skills training through museum exhibits. “When we first started, we faced significant resistance from parents. They were wary of outsiders and feared exploitation. We don’t have funding from large organisations; this project survives solely on people’s contributions,” she says. Despite these challenges, Shibani believes that “good work never stops.” Education is a key enabler of breaking the poverty cycle and gender equality. It empowers the individual and communities, fostering individual development and collective progress, according to Ghosh.
Samar Khan: Helping the hapless
Samar Khan, director of the Nirbhaya Foundation, has been working for the welfare of women and children across Madhya Pradesh since 2009. Coming from a humble background, Samar has dedicated her life to social service, focusing especially on providing shelter and support to victims of domestic violence and rape. Under her leadership, the foundation operates ashrams and shelters for victims of abuse. “I first came into contact with rape survivors and girls facing sex crimes while teaching vocational skills like Zari-Zardozi. These women were being mistreated not just by society, but by their own families. I was horrified and decided to work for them and provide them with shelter,” she says.
