The Story of Gauhar Fatma
"Life is all about the boss stories, not the sob ones." A resilient fighter, Gauhar taught us how to be courageous even when others aren't.
Gauhar was the first woman who agreed to work with us when everyone else refused. Wife to a grumpy man who was mostly ill and stayed home, and mother to 4 obedient kids.
One of the only women who worked in village Budhina Khurd ,despite the socio-cultural barriers the women of the region were subjected to. We met her during one of our recces to villages around Muzaffarnagar district, to mobilise women to work.
She earned money for the family weaving charpoy stools that she sold at local village weddings, for Rs. 30 (less than half a dollar) per stool. Not only have we learnt from Gauhar’s persistence where she encouraged more than 50 women to join her but her superb managerial skills, where she allocates time to her work, home, family, chores, kids and personal grievances of in -laws, and looks even more Gorgeous every-time we see her.
Gauhar gives us perspective and made us stronger.