Why does Sister India provide holistic classes to uplift and protect Indian women and girls? Studies show that education is the single best way to change the life of an oppressed woman or girl. Education also breaks the cycle of abuse and oppression for her daughter. An educated mother shows less son preference, and is more likely to educate her daughter as well as her sons. What do we mean when we talk about holistic adult education classes? The majority of Sister India students come to us between the ages of 15-35 without a background of formal education. They also include widows, who have been abandoned by their families and are at great risk. As children, many of our students were married off young, or sent to work instead of school to help provide for their family’s meager income. There are high rates of child marriage in the populations we serve. When a girl in India is married, she is pulled out of her home and school, and sent to live and work in the home of her new
Neha and her husband have a daughter and a son. Because of ill health, she couldn't work in the fields to help her family earn much needed income. Without an education, agricultural work is how most poor Indian women help with the family income. It is back-breaking work, and pays very little. As part of her Sister India class, Neha received small business training and learned how to make and sell products. She prepared soaps and gave them to her husband to sell. Neha's husband sold her soaps in the evening. Because of the high demand in a nearby tourist area, he could sell 50 to 70 soaps within two hours! Neha and her husband were able to save some money and rent a building near the tourist area to open their own shop. Thanks to your kind assistance, Neha can read, write and do the basic accounting she needs to take care of their shop.