A Mother’s Love and a Woman’s Empowerment
Achieving economic equality brings freedom for her special needs family.
There is a special part of a mother’s heart that is reserved for children who have special needs. She must be a champion for her child when others do not understand. She must advocate for her child, when her child cannot. Ishika is one of these wildly protective mothers who will go to any lengths to protect her children and her strength is enamored by many.
Ishika is a 35 year old young mother who lives with her husband and four sons in a tiny village in India.
When her third son was born with Autism, this brought on stress to the family home where she, her husband, and her children were living with her in-laws. Her husband’s family, who did not understand Autism, blamed Ishika for her son’s challenges. So, she and her husband decided to leave the family home and start a life of their own. But this bold move was not easy, as her husband had to leave the family business as well.
They took their four boys and started a new life and were forced to find new ways to support their family.
Ishika fell back on the only skill she knew, which was basic sewing. She started sewing simple crafts to sell in her village. Her husband began buying animals and started a small farm. But Ishika wanted to do more so she could support her family, and her special needs son, better.
She applied to join a self-help group (SHG) where she could learn valuable skills to help her in her craft, as well as in business. But, the group was looking for a member who could take notes.
Ishika was illiterate, and feared they would not take her.
It was at this time that her eldest son taught her how to read and write so she could participate in the group, and she did. This opened up a whole new world of opportunity for Ishika and her family.
Through the self help group training she received, she has been able to build the skills she needed to further her craft and support the household. She and her husband work very hard and make a good life together.
Her son with Autism is now showing interest in his mother’s craft of sewing. Ishika is now sharing the skills that she has learned with him and supporting his special needs in many ways.
If you would like to bring a little bit of Ishika’s story into your home, you can find the products that she has been a part of making in this collection.
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