Penned By Board Member, Alo Pal
Shanmugavalli, 21, has just landed a job, two months after completing her B.Com. She is working as an assistant in an audit office and earns around ₹10,000 and month. Her mother, who has worked all her life as a housemaid, has worked hard to ensure that all three daughters receive an education. Her eldest sister completed her BBA through correspondence and is now employed. She is soon to be married, and has been saving towards this new chapter in her life since she started working, ensuring that the marriage does not place a financial burden on the family. Her middle sister completed her B.Sc. and went on to pursue an MBA through correspondence. She, too, is now working. All three sisters took up part-time jobs while studying to ease their mother’s financial burden.
The girls lost their father when Shanmugavalli was in Class 6, following his long struggle with alcoholism.
With three children to raise and difficult circumstances at home, Shanmugavalli’s mother made the decision to send her to live with a relative for a period of time. Away from the warmth and familiarity of home, Shanmugavalli struggled to adjust. She gradually lost interest in school and eventually dropped out. Concerned about her daughter’s well-being, her mother sought support. It was at this point that Shanmugavalli came to Gayatri House, Shanara’s day-care centre in the city, which is now closed. There, she was welcomed by the team at Gayatri House, who provided her with the warmth, care and individual attention she needed.
It took around six months of consistent care, reassurance and encouragement for Shanmugavalli to begin feeling secure again. Slowly, she became more settled and began to regain her confidence. She was re-enrolled in school in Class 5 and went on to complete her Class 12 in Accountancy as a beneficiary of Sharana’s Back-to-School programme.
Before enrolling in college for her B.Com, Shanmugavalli completed Sharana’s Digital and Language Lab courses. She was also a beneficiary of Sharana’s Higher Education Support Programme, through which Sharana supported her in completing a four-month course in Tally.
Like her sisters, Shanmugavalli was determined to contribute to the family and ease her mother’s financial burden. Her mother had taken loans to ensure that her daughters received an education, and the sisters were equally committed to supporting her. During her second year of college, Shanmugavalli worked in the billing and accounting section of a supermarket from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm, earning ₹5,000 a month. In her third year, she secured a paid internship at a digital accounting firm and continued to contribute to the household.
Today, she has secured her first full-time job, but she already has plans for the future. Within a year, she hopes to pursue additional qualifications and further develop her skills to improve her career prospects. She is fortunate to have a mother who, despite the many challenges she has faced, has always prioritised giving her three daughters the freedom to pursue their education and chosen careers.
And when I ask her what Sharana means to her, her eyes light up and she tells me with a bright smile, “Sharana is like Santa Claus. I have been gifted with such love, care, guidance, motivation and support.”
As I close Shanmugavalli’s story, I am reminded once again of the wider issue that many of our stories bring to light: the impact of alcoholism on families, particularly the women who lose their husbands and are left to raise their children, often with very limited means. Yet, stories like Shanmugavalli’s also remind us of the strength, determination and resilience of these women, and of the possibilities that can emerge when children and families receive care, encouragement and opportunities.
