SI Poona celebrated International Women’s Day along with the staff members of Jagruti, a local NGO run by their senior member Ms. Jayashri Kale.Jagruti helps underprivileged women and girls to stand on their own feet by imparting education, training, financial and medical help whenever needed. Every year SI Poona celebrates this day by felicitating women who have overcome all odds to establish themselves, and Make a Difference. This year they felicitated Ms. Halima Shaikh, a simple woman, who has risen from utter penury to establish a business of her own. She was thrown into poverty and despair by a sick husband who could no longer work, and four young children. She started out by making lamps for Diwali, which she sold in her neighbourhood. Her artistic qualities led her to make more decorative items and a wide variety of lamps, which were much appreciated, as she slowly built up her business. Her children now help her in her enterprise, and she has also managed to purchase two vehicles for transporting her goods. Halima now gives employment to nearly hundred other women from her locality. She was felicitated with a shawl and a cash award, and all members expressed their appreciation for this gutsy woman for her determination and entrepreneurship.
