We love sharing stories of the women who, as part of a skills-training program, sew together PUNJAMMIES®. The Sudara Stories series highlights a few of these strong, amazing women. Today, we are honored to introduce Anju.
Anju’s Story of Hope and Freedom
Anju is the provider for her family, both financially and in caring for her two young children, a son and a daughter. If you ask her about her husband she’ll tell you that the hardships began early in her marriage. She’ll tell you that her husband is an alcoholic and he physically abuses her, especially in the evenings after he’s had too much to drink. She’ll tell you that most of the time he refused to give her money and she lived in fear. She lived in fear for her family’s safety and their future. And, whether she could provide for them on her own.
About a year ago, she asked friends and neighbors whether they knew of anyone who was hiring. After a few weeks of not finding a job, a friend told her about one of the Sudara partner sewing centers and the tailoring classes offered there. She joined right away. She told us that she became interested in sewing and tailoring as a child, but her family could not afford for her to take classes. After several months of classes, though, she started to sew dresses and blouses for friends. And, soon after, she accepted a full-time job offer with the sewing center and began to sew PUNJAMMIES™.
Anju tells us that although her husband is still struggling with an alcohol addiction and refuses to work, she no longer fears for her future. She tells us that she experiences peace and joy when she comes to work. And, she gets excited when she talks about being able to provide for her children, their education and their future, too.
Thank you for continuing to invest in and empower women like Anju to create a new life for herself and her children. Read more Sudara Stories here. And, find the PUNJAMMIES® we named in honor and celebration of Anju here.