News & Resources "I am so happy” says Surjeet - 21st June 2011
"I am so happy” says Surjeet - 21st June 2011
Surjeet Kaur, is an MDVL Women Entrepreneur. She is 60 years old and lives in the village of Qila Raipur in Punjab, India with her husband 75 year old husband, Daljit Singh. Surjeet is a step mother to two boys and biological mother of one daughter. Due to poverty and culture, after her sister died she was married to her widower husband to take care of the children. She treated her sister's children as her own and tried her best to provide them with a good upbringing.
Tragically, one of her sons, Ranjit, passed away at the age of 35 as the family were too poor to pay for his medical expenses when he became ill. They had barely enough money to feed themselves and nothing spare for lifesaving medicines.
Surjeet and her husband live alone as her son lives away with his own family, and her daughter, as per tradition, lives with her husband's family.
Currently, Surjeet is the only earner for both her husband and herself. Before becoming part of the MDVL Women Entrepreneur program she worked as a domestic helper where she earned only 600 rupees a month (about £9) Her husband took most of her income, leaving her without even enough for their basic needs.
Surjeet, since becoming a part of the MDVL scheme, feels that she is able to run her house properly and have a much better standard of living. Because she also now has a bank account, the money she earns from selling her cows' milk is protected, meaning she can spend it where she needs. "I am so happy” says Surjeet, “I finally feel that there is a better future for me and my husband."
Surjeet has a lot of expectations from this project and now looks at herself as an independent woman who can run her household on her own.
We need to help more women like Surjeet to achieve financial security, independence and a basic income. Please help us today, to help women like her.
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