Hard things about hard things (3) The story of Mira Maushi

 Mira Maushi is the new domestic help we've enlisted to work with us in Samaan. She also works at one of the families in my residential complex and they too have encouraged her for this. I made a visit to the house where she works and gave her further details and ideas about what exactly my project is. She was very encouraged and motivated to be independent. When I asked her for basic information such as how much she earns and who does her family consist, etc she told me that she's the main breadwinner of the household and while her husband earns, he spends all of his earnings on alcohol. He also abuses her and refuses to share any money with them. So her 2 adolescent sons and her rely on what she gets after working in houses. It was a shocking issue for me to digest since it is the first time I heard about a case of domestic violence and substance abuse first-hand. We all know it happens around us, but actually hearing someone talk about it like their everyday reality or something they have to live through was drastic. Despite not being educated, the idea of gaining monetary independence and learning how to read Marathi (which I offered to teach) made her truly excited, which was very heartening to see. 

For women like Mira Maushi, financial literacy is even more important as it mobilizes them to be less reliant on their husbands for financial support, and may even encourage them to move away from an abusive marriage where they have to stay simply because they won't have any income without their husbands. Developing not just financial, but even regular literacy with the ability to at least read can make a world of difference to them in developing their confidence, self-esteem and independence.

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