While growing up in a small village in the Dungarpur district, Monika recalls how the idea of being a “burden” simply on account of her gender almost felt like a privilege. “When you have grown up with a physical disability and are a girl in a patriarchal society, you aren’t simply a ‘burden’ in the same way every other girl is you bear a double burden,” she says.
After encountering a skilling programme, where she was trained in tailoring, Monika worked hard to build herself. Midway into her training, Monika also lost her father, but undeterred, she established herself as a master trainer and now works at the same skill centre where she once was a student. Today, she is the sole breadwinner for the family, supporting food, supplies, and even her mother’s Tuberculosis treatment.
