Pune City Connect

Swati Balkawade, Warje
Owner at Swati’s parlour

Swati, a young woman filled with joy, always aspired to be self-reliant. She could not continue her education after the 10th grade but that never stopped her from believing in her dreams. She is married in a well to do household. Her husband has a successful tourism company but Swati wanted to be financially independent.

She came to know about the Lighthouse from her neighbour and decided to join the Foundation course. Swati was enthusiastic about the course. She showcased diligence, sincerely took notes, and participated in all the activities.

After the completion of the Foundation Course, Swati enrolled herself in the beauty parlour course. After the basic course, Swati wanted to increase her domain knowledge and decided to enroll in the advanced beauty parlour course. Nutan- the Lighthouse Center head helped and guided her throughout her course and beyond.

On the completion of the course, Swati started working in a parlour. The appreciation she received at her work boosted her confidence to start her own parlour. She has worked hard to arrange for the finances she needed and started her own salon- Swati’s Makeover.

“The Lighthouse never stopped believing in me and my dreams. The team guided me throughout my journey and beyond.” – Swati

In the next few months, the pandemic hit the world and her business came to halt. This did not stop Swati, she started her online business of stitching clothes and that worked too. In August 2020, Swati re-opened her parlour and that parlour now also has a counter for ladies’ and children’s garments and cosmetics. Swati earns from her own enterprise and is self-dependent for all her financial needs.

The Lighthouses are designed with a holistic approach to empower the underprivileged by giving them an opportunity to turn their life around. The motive here is not only to help them gain financial stability but also to provide them with emotional support while they’re on the way to self-realization.

Pradnya Nagtilak, Warje
Quality Manager at Parle-G

Pradnya, an Arts graduate, currently lives with her family in Pune. Her father was the only earning member of the family who lost his job due to an accident and is now bed-ridden. Since the only source of income had stopped. The family faced immense difficulties. Due to the financial crisis, Pradnya was married early.

A few days after her marriage Pradnya realized her husband was an alcoholic. She faced domestic violence and was often beaten with an iron rod. After a few months, Pradnya finally gathered courage and left her husband’s home and started living with her parents again.

After realizing about Pradnya’s pregnancy, her parents and husband pressurized her to return to her husband’s home. She agreed to give her marriage a second chance for the sake of her child. Unfortunately, things got worse.

Pradnya confronted her family and with her father’s support, Pradnya could file a police complaint against her husband. Since she started living with her parents, she wanted to support them financially. Pradnya did many odd jobs but she had to quit working in 2018 due to her son’s serious medical condition.

In 2019, Pradnya was at her lowest when she joined the Lighthouse. After a few days, her facilitators observed that Pradnya was mentally disturbed. On learning about her past and current circumstances, Pradnya received special support and attention from the Lighthouse team. She was encouraged to take part in activities she liked. The Lighthouse witnessed her transform herself into a confident young woman by the end of the Foundation course.

Today, Pradnya has secured herself a job as a Quality Manager at Parle-G and with a salary that will help her support herself and her family with a comfortable life. She will begin working on 7th October 2020.

The Lighthouses are designed with a holistic approach to empower the underprivileged by giving them an opportunity to turn their life around. The motive here is not only to help them gain financial stability but also to provide them with emotional support while they’re on the way to self-realization.

Rekha Waghmare, Bibawewadi
Beautian

Rakhee, the budding beautician never had it easy. She has experienced many set-backs in life one of which has been a marriage under false pretense. After facing domestic violence by her in-laws for a long time, she decided to get separated. Unfortunately, both her young children live with their father.

All this pushed Rakhee towards depression where she started having suicidal tendencies. Looking at her condition, her loved ones were looking for a spark of motivation for her to be happy again. On suggesting the Lighthouse program by one of her community members, she enrolled for the Foundation Course.

The Lighthouse program gave Rakhee a reason to look forward to something every day. Rakhee took a little time to adjust but with the support of the staff, she began to participate actively in all the activities conducted.
By the end of the Foundation course, she decided to sharpen her communication skills and language in English.

Rakhee enrolled herself in the Bindaas Bol English speaking course offered by the Lighthouse. During the counseling session, she showed an interest in the field of beauty and teaching. Taking this into consideration, the Lighthouse team encouraged her to enroll in the beauty parlor and a teaching course.

“I was on the verge of a breakdown and thought ending my life was the only solution. The Lighthouse gave me a reason to live, made me realize that it is always good in the world, we just have to see in the right direction.”- Rakhee

Rakhee aspires to start her own independent parlor one day. Her aim is to become financially independent and get custody of her children. She wishes to give her children a good education and make them better human beings. Currently, Rakhee is dedicated to her goals and is on her journey to make her dreams come true.

The Lighthouses are designed with a holistic approach to empower the underprivileged by giving them an opportunity to turn their life around. The motive here is not only to help them gain financial stability but also to provide them with emotional support while they’re on the way to self-realization.