Nuhamani Soren, a tribal woman in a small village called Ramchandrapur in Keonjhar, India can smile today. She is a survivor and an example to other women. In 1996 her husband went through with a second marriage even as Nuhamani was expecting their second child. Nuhamani’s in-laws allowed her to continue living in their house, but there was never enough food. They often did not have two meals a day. Nuhamani did not lose courage and began to work as a daily laborer even in the advanced stages of her pregnancy.

In 2000, the LWF began work in this village. It is a drought-prone area with poor communication and a high degree of illiteracy. LWF supported the formation of a community based organization involving all the families of the community. A Non-Formal Education center was set up and skill development and organizational training programs were conducted.

In 2001 Self Help Groups for women were organized to take advantage of micro credit opportunities. Nuhamani and 15 other women formed the first group and began to make small monthly contributions to generate group capital. The government became interested and began to give them business opportunities.

Nuhamani realized that she had the potential to be independent and self sufficient. She now owns a small grocery shop which she bought with an LWF loan and a year’s savings. She is now the breadwinner for her family. Her children are enrolled in a formal school. Her achievement lies in the dignity and respect she earned for herself. She has hope.