HOW WE WORK
HOW WE WORK
RUDRA CENTRE
is a space that enables the women of Ahmedabad’s slum communities to gain the skills and support needed for their personal and economic growth. GMSP supports the Rudra Centre in its aim to give women economic stability and build a safety net for their families.
girls attended training such as computing, menstrual hygiene and yoga in one year
1,500
girls and women are now economically independent
15,000
CHALLENGE
For so many women in India’s slum communities, marriage and childbearing brings personal growth to a grinding halt. To support their families, many are engaged in work in the informal sector but are often at the bottom of the earnings ladder. Others lack resources and access to a basic livelihood.
As women struggle to balance work and domestic tasks, life can become a difficult and monotonous cycle of physical labour and emotional pressure, putting a heavy toll on their bodies and minds. In addition to a demanding daily schedule, poverty and inadequate healthcare leaves many women with a host of chronic conditions, including fatigue, heart disease and poor eyesight. With so much focus on daily survival, women have no money, time or space for much needed rest and leisure activities.
ACTION
Rudra Centre works to provide women with skills that will lead them to economic freedom and to become active participants in their communities.
The centre offers training programmes in embroidery, quilting and entrepreneurship while fostering friendships and a community spirit.
Through a series of training camps, women are taught life skills and given training in personal development, self-esteem and healthy relationships. Other camps include sessions on nutrition, massage technique, wellness and personal hygiene with the aim of decreasing chronic conditions and helping with physical ailments due to poor posture and lack of healthy exercise.
In addition, Rudra Centre organises annual trips, picnics and leisure activities throughout the year and provides a market for the women’s artisan products.