Sparking change: how one woman's electrical dreams lit up an MP village

✍️ Ashish Kumar Y.

"I thought if I miss this chance, I will lose an opportunity," Lakshmi Warakade recalls, her eyes gleaming with determination. "So I went, and now I am happy that I made the right decision."

In the remote village of Paudi, nestled amidst dense forests in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, Lakshmi's journey from a struggling farm worker to a successful electrician's assistant is a testament to her unwavering resolve. 

From fields to fortune: A chance encounter transforms everything

Financial constraints had forced Lakshmi to abandon her education after 12th grade. With a differently-abled father and a family dependent on meagre agricultural income, she found herself working alongside her mother in the fields, their annual earnings barely touching one lakh rupees.

However, fate had other plans for Lakshmi. A chance encounter at a Gram Sangathan meeting introduced her to Karishma Armo, a Community Resource Person from the Nari Adhikar Kendra (Women's Rights Center) of the Ekta Sankul cluster level federation (CLF). Cluster Level Federations of Bijadandi are supported by the Transform Rural India as a technical agency. This meeting opened doors to a world of possibilities Lakshmi had never imagined

.

Overcoming fears and the journey beyond

"It was very difficult to decide to be away from home," Lakshmi confesses. "As a girl, this decision became more difficult. I had to go to a different place with a different language and no experience of being out of the village for the first time."

Recognizing Lakshmi's potential, Ankita Mishra, coordinator of Ekta CLF, invited her for a psychological aptitude and personality test, followed by counseling. This process revealed various skill development and employment opportunities, inspiring Lakshmi to pursue training as an electrician's assistant.

However, the path was not without obstacles. Lakshmi's parents were initially hesitant about sending their daughter far from home. Ankita stepped in, personally meeting with the family to address their concerns.

"It was very difficult to do the counseling of the mother to send her daughter to do the job in Chennai, which is too far from Bijadandi," Ankita recalls. "Her mother was scared of how she would survive. As a mother of a daughter, it is very difficult to send her child that far. But after rounds of discussion about building Lakshmi's future, her mother agreed."

With her family's blessings, Lakshmi started her journey. She received free residential training under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana at the Heraud Institute in Kosamghat. Upon completion, she was placed at Teel College Company in Chennai for a six-month stint.

A ripple of change:  inspiring community

Today, Lakshmi works at Bharat FIH, a mobile company in Tamil Nadu, earning a monthly salary of ₹15,000 - a significant leap from her family's previous annual income.

Lakshmi's mother, once hesitant, now beams with pride. "I was hesitant to send my daughter for training and job, but with the help of CLF and Transform Rural India (TRI), I was able to change my decision," she says. "Now, I am happy that she is earning and living a good life and also helping the family. I tell the story of my daughter to motivate others."

Lakshmi's journey serves as an inspiration to many in her village. Her story shows the importance of skill development programs and the crucial role of supportive communities in empowering rural youth, especially women, to break free from the cycle of poverty and build brighter futures.

Ankita notes, "now, her mother proudly narrates the story of her daughter in women's collective meetings and inspires others." Lakshmi's story is not just one of personal triumph, but a beacon of hope for countless others dreaming of a better tomorrow.