In her rural village of Kaibartapara, India, traditional gender roles are deeply ingrained in the community, and Pranita—like many young widows—faced strong social pressures to remarry or risk social ostracization for her and her daughters.
However, she knew some men reject children from a previous marriage, and she refused to have a home where her daughters were treated as less than or deprived of the support, care and—most of all—love they deserved.
Pranita, like many women in her village, didn’t own property or a bank account. She was without the training, skills or opportunities she needed to provide a reliable, sustainable income for her children.
“I was not taught financial independence as a girl,” Pranita said.
Refusing to let her lack of opportunity in the past define her children’s futures, Pranita enrolled in an SOS Children’s Villages self-help group. There, she learned how to open a bank account and received the resources, like seeds and goats, and training she needed to become an agricultural entrepreneur.
With a steady stream of income, Pranita quickly expanded her business with pigs and even started to save for her family’s future.
Because of her determination and savvy business decisions, Pranita could afford to build a house for her and her daughters, where they enjoy relaxing evenings after the girls returned from school.
Her resilience and financial stability are an inspiration not only for her daughters and other women in the community but also for many men in the village.
“Many people come to me and ask how they can earn money by raising [livestock],” Pranita said. “They have questions about logistics, like accessing markets or medicines for the farm. I tell them everything I know and encourage the women to start rearing goats so that [the women] can have their own savings.”
Because of the generosity of people like you, Pranita is now a proud role model to her daughters—providing financial security, a loving home with nutritious meals and hope for a bright future.
“I will make sure my daughters know how to be strong in the world, no matter their circumstances,” she said. “I will support them and teach them how to be self-reliant. My daughters can choose whatever they want to be when they grow up.”
This month, as we celebrate International Day of the Girl, you can be part of the change for mothers like Pranita, helping more women access the support, training and resources they need to provide for themselves and their children.
With a small business loan and tools to start a business, you can send real gifts and life-changing support to the doorstep of a family who needs it most. Your generosity can impact generations—empowering a mother with the resources she needs to raise confident daughters, who have the hope and support needed to build a successful future.
Whatever you decide to send, know that you are giving the most impactful gift of all: Love, Delivered.
Because love matters.