Comforting Hands

Pilgrims gather on the ghats surrounding sacred Pushkar Lake, in the days leading up to Kartik Poornima, an important Hindu festival.

On this particular morning the ghats were busy, full of people, vibrant colours, music and prayer. Suddenly the sound of wailing floated up from a group that was gathered just below me. I peered over the balcony and my eyes were drawn to a small circle of women, one of whom seemed to be in mourning. As I watched, those around her immediately set about to comfort and console her, enveloping her with their outstretched hands. It left me wondering who she may have been grieving for.

Taken in Pushkar, India. November, 2018.

Samhali Trust's Empowement Centre in Setrawa

A woman works away at a sewing project, possibly a garment for herself or someone in her family, or even for someone in the community who has commissioned the work. Learning to sew gives women in the small desert village of Setrawa the possibility of earning their own income, allowing them to support themselves and their family.

The Setrawa Empowerment Centre is run by #SambhaliTrust, an organization dedicated to empowering and supporting women and girls. Based in Jodhpur, #SambhaliTrust runs various programs that provide education, vocational training and support to women, with the aim of breaking the cycle of property.

The women are focused and serious about what they are doing. The opportunity to pursue a personal dream, in a society where they are oppressed and suffer economically, is invaluable.

There is a sense of camaraderie in the empowerment centers and that the women who attend the sewing program support each other is evident at every turn.

The pride that these women have is clear, as you watch them work and when you witness the completion of a project. The aim of the 12 month sewing program offered by #SambhaliTrust is to provide each graduate with their own sewing machine, so that they can continue to sew at home and provide an income for their family.

To learn more about @SambhaliTrust and how you can help, visit their website: www.sambhali-trust.org/

Photos taken in Setrawa, Rajasthan, India. November 2018.

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#PWB #Photographerswithoutborders #storytelling #sambhalitrust #PWBschool #india #jodhpur #womensempowerment #unity #morethanphotographers #travelphotography #seethroughanewlens #education #photography #travelabroad #photojournalism #ethicalstorytelling #ungoals #unitednations #unsustainabledevelopmentgoals #sustainability #womensrights #femaleempowerment

Sambhali Trust

The Sambhali Trust Empowerment Centres in Jodhpur provide underprivileged women with the opportunity to obtain a basic education. Subjects taught include Hindi and English.

In patriarchal Rajasthan, educating women is not deemed to be of any value. Many are denied the chance to study – the literacy rate of women in this part of India is only around 52%. As such, women are trapped in a cycle of poverty, facing discrimination and violence, and lacking the freedoms that we take for granted.

The women who attend Sambhali are eager to learn, focused, and proud of their accomplishments – gaining confidence and building self-esteem.

To learn more about @SambhaliTrust and how you can contribute, visit their website: www.sambhali-trust.org/

Photos taken in Jodhpur, India. November 2018.

#Jodhpur #Rajasthan #India #grassroots #NGO #PWB #Photographerswithoutborders #storytelling #sambhalitrust #PWBschool #india #jodhpur #womensempowerment #unity #morethanphotographers #travelphotography #seethroughanewlens #education #photography #travelabroad #photojournalism #ethicalstorytelling #ungoals #unitednations #unsustainabledevelopmentgoals #sustainability #womensrights #femaleempowerment

PWB School India

In November of 2018 I had the opportunity to travel to India with Photographers Without Borders (PWB) as a part of one of their workshops, partnering with a local NGO @SambhaliTrust

I'd been looking for a way to put a greater emphasis on my photography while traveling. I also had this growing feeling that I needed to give back to the places I was traveling to and the people residing there in a more meaningful and impactful way. PWB brings all these elements together and as I read about their School in India, it seemed to be perfect for me.

And it truly was.

It's hard to express in words what the experience has meant to me. What I valued the most was the time we spent with @SambhaliTrust, learning about their programs, meeting all the people involved, especially the women and girls who benefit from the services provided, and having the opportunity to photograph it all.

I was fortunate enough to experience this with an amazing group of people - like-minded, from around the world, with varying degrees of experience in photography. We learned a lot from each other. It was also my first time in India, which was incredible in and of itself. I’ve come away from this feeling that my photography has improved and I have a new sense of purpose for both my photography and travel going forward.

If you are considering a PWB workshop, I would encourage you to go for it!

To find out more, visit @photographerswithoutborders for School workshops planned for 2020.

Photos taken in Jodhpur, India. November 2018.