I am Sukumoni Besra, from Bejda village, West Medinipur District, West Bengal. I hail from a tribal background and by occupation I am a tailor as well as a homemaker. Being from a remote and backward region, I was married off at the young age of 14 years. My family lived in great economic hardship, and we migrated to southern states for livelihood. We raised our three daughters with great difficulty; sometimes we didn’t even have enough money to buy a day’s meal. Since I studied up to class 4, and didn’t know how to read and write, so selling my labour was the only source of income. But in 2018, GNWT started with a tailoring awareness programme, and just like any other woman; I too eagerly joined the meeting to learn about the course. Though I was uneducated but my passion for tailoring did not die out. I enrolled and pursued tailoring at GNWT for more than a year, during which the teacher provided me immense support to master the art of measuring and cutting. During the training, I had the privilege to stitch mask and clothes, from which I earned around 2 to 3 thousand rupees per month. Post training, GNWT supported me to start my own business at home and later GNWT Secretary appointed me as a tailoring assistant at a new tailoring centre in Manoharpur. GNWT has pulled me out of my poor socio-economic status as well as helped me be an example to other women in the village. Today I financially contribute to the needs of my family; I can support my child’s education, their necessities as well as support my own medical treatments. Thank you GNWT.

I am Ajit Mandi working as the social work animator at Gonpada Navjeevan Welfare Trust for last three years and have been volunteering in social work related activities from the last 6 years. I hail from a rural tribal background and belong to an agricultural family. I have studied up to higher secondary, after which I completed my Diploma in Hotel Management and Spoken English Course from Don Bosco, Keshiapada. My life completely changed in 2014 when I lost my father to an electrocution. Being the eldest in a family of 5, I needed a job to fend for my family. During this period, GNWT Secretary asked whether I was interested to join GNWT as a remedial teacher at Gobra unit. Looking at my extreme passion in outreach and social work activities, the Secretary offered me to work as an Field Animator. During the last 3 years, I had the privilege to attend a lot of training programmes on leadership, communication skills, community mobilization, education, government schemes, etc, as well as exposure programmes that helped me gain a lot of knowledge and experience in discharging my duties towards the people. Today as an Field Animator, I utilize all my gained experience and knowledge in uplifting the marginalized and providing them all the necessary information and suggestions whenever required. GNWT has helped me develop a personality of my own and be recognized in the society. I am highly grateful to GNWT for all their support and encouragement as it has helped me reach at this stage.