In a country of 1.39 billion people, making ends meet is a daily ritual for many underprivileged people. Not many can come out on top in spite of braving all hardships. But India’s diversity is such that in every sphere of life, some beacons shine bright to pave the way for others.

Komal Tomar, the protagonist of our story, is a mother of three who lives in the urban slum of East Delhi. Her husband is stationed out for work, and they live in a slum with her HIV-positive mother-in-law. Her family has benefited from a consistent source of income since her marriage.

Komal has had a difficult time dealing with the guilt of burdening her impoverished in-laws. But she herself was determined to face life’s challenges and put a smile back on the faces of her family members, including three small children. To earn daily bread for her family she initially started to work as domestic house help but the hardship and exploitation compelled her to look for other options.

Prior to her marriage, Komal was fond of tailoring. After receiving the training through “Skill India” she assisted her father at his tailoring shop. Later, as she harnessed more skills, she took a job in a tailor shop doing minor stitching and repair work for her neighbours and nearby households. She liked the job and soon she started earning some money which she used to support her family.

To augment her income, Komal tried working in other tailoring shops, but the earnings were not sufficient to fulfil her needs.

In the due course of time, she came across one of Caritas India’s community educators while visiting the Hospital for a patient’s medication.  They became known to each other and after counselling her the Community educator realised that Komal was in grave need of something that will support her family.

Realizing Komal’s zeal for work and earning to support her family, Caritas India under Gram Nirman Programme supported her with a hand-operated sewing machine. Gram Nirman is a programme supported by Caritas Australia that is implemented in 3 states in the country namely Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi. The urban programme component which is implemented in Delhi primarily focuses on the rehabilitation of families living with HIV/AIDS in 18 Urban slums in East of Delhi.

Subsequently, with her tailoring experience, Komal tied up with the local boutique and started making women’s ethnic dresses like Salwar suits, Designer Blouses, ladies’ trousers etc. She not only learned to stand on her own feet but started helping five other women and trained them in similar skills. She now has hired all five of them to work with her in her small income generation business unit at her own premise. All of them stitch dress materials of different types and, are even planning to scale up and add more such women to their enterprise.

Komal is very pleased with her accomplishment. Filled with the ambition to conquer new heights, Komal is determined to singlehandedly run the Income Generation Unit business along with her few women supporters, to generate a sustained source of living.

She has started a sewing training cum tailoring centre at her very small house where she teaches 5 other women.

She has set out on a new goal for growing her business to ensure that she and her co-worker’s can aspire and live a dignified life. This act of kindness on her part speaks volumes about her commitment to fellow human beings.

Expanding her entrepreneurial ambition, she now orders Pre-Cut Fabric in bulk from factories to fulfill the requirements of her customers. Komal makes 4,500-5000 per month and is able to save Rs, 1500. Selling clothes and offering tailoring training to women in the community has made her a role model. Komal says, “I am happy to earn and run my family. The sewing machine is proving a boon for me as it is helping me to achieve economic independence.”

Thanking Caritas India for the support, Komal said, “We really don’t know how to express our gratitude towards Caritas India for extending their needful timely support to a poor woman like myself, I am very much thankful to Caritas India for this generosity.”