Beena’s Journey of Finding Strength and Support at the Workplace
In Surajpur, in the NCR region of Delhi, lives Beena, a woman whose life story echoes the strength and resilience of countless women. Having moved to Delhi in 2004, little did Beena know what was in store for her. She joined a textile factory in 2008 after her husband started getting sick repeatedly.
For the past 16 years, Beena has been an integral part of a factory, where she specialised in thread cutting and quality control and has been working in the finishing unit. Her life, however, was far from ordinary. As the mother of two boys, the elder one now pursuing an MBA and the younger one preparing for 10th grade, Beena found herself in the challenging role of both mother and father.
Tragedy struck Beena’s life when her husband fell critically ill, necessitating prolonged medical treatment. Overnight, Beena found herself shouldering the responsibility of being the sole breadwinner, a burden that left her scared and insecure. The immense stress and the sleepless nights took a toll on her confidence, making her question her ability to navigate the complexities of life.
Over the past few years, through her sincere efforts and hard work at the factory, she has always found support at the factory from the management. She got leaves when she needed them, and they helped her out with the treatment of her husband. This kept her going, albeit with lost faith and strength.
She had, however, more recently found a ray of hope—capacity-building sessions tailored to empower women like her, delivered at the factory. These sessions led and implemented by Upfront have become her safe space, where she has not only learned about her rights and responsibilities but also found a network of strong women who understand her struggles. Beena is a peer educator and has the responsibility to pass on the information she receives to her peers in the factory. This programme for Beena has become more than just a learning experience; it is now like a lifeline, instilling in her a newfound confidence and a sense of security.
Beena never saw women of the family stepping out of the house and the complete responsibility falling on their shoulders. It was thus challenging and, mentally, very unsettling for her. She had mental health issues but never had access to resources or the right people to address them. The programme led by Upfront has also ensured the working of the Internal Committee, of which Beena is a part. Although it is in place and well-equipped to address complaints, it has become more of a support system for women who need help professionally or personally.
In the trust circles that have been built through the course of the programme, Beena and her fellow women have found more than just empathy; they have found solutions, strength, and a renewed sense of purpose. “Initiatives like these by the factory have made our workplace so much more safe and supportive; we have become more productive and look forward to coming to the factory every day,” says Beena.
Traditional inequalities have not capacitated women to take on responsibilities that are beyond the boundaries of their four walls. Hence, when put in a situation like this, women falter, their mental health degrades, and they do not find the needed support from the family due to their patriarchal mindset. Through the agency-building programmes, Upfront has been helping women in factories not just find their voice but also help eliminate the fear and insecurity that plague them, replacing it with confidence, and finding a strong support system. This in turn also helps them improve their mental health, exemplifying the transformative power of support, education, and the unwavering spirit that resides within every woman.
Beena’s story reminds us that even in the face of adversity, there is immense strength waiting to be discovered, and there is an entire community of women ready to stand together, empowering themselves and one another to overcome life’s challenges.
