Keeping in accordance with the tenets of Sikhism of equality to women, universal brotherhood, welfare unto all; The Kalgidhar Society has launched ‘Akal Rozgar Yojna’. It is a project empowering women to be self-sufficient and self-dependent to live a dignified life at par with the male members of the society. This project has been launched primarily in the rural regions of Northern India where the women are subjected to injustice and discrimination.
The training session of first batch of 33 women from the rural, remote and backward areas of Punjab was inaugurated by Baba Iqbal Singh Ji on 18 November, 2006 at F-3, Rajouri Garden, New Delhi.
This first batch of 33 destitute women will undergo a training session of 30 days (15 days' training and 15 days of commercial production) at Delhi under the supervision of expert professionals in the field of cutting, tailoring, stitching and embroidery. After the successful completion of the training session, this batch of women will run the production centers established by The Kalgidhar Society in their native villages. The same machinery used by the trainees in Delhi will be transferred to the village production center, so that the poor women can start working without any hindrance.
Along with the professional training, these women will be following a regular schedule to tread the path of spirituality to enable them attain mental peace and concentration. This will also empower them with mental and physical strength as they will start their daily routine in the ambrosial hours at 3 in the morning with Nitnem.
All the women undergoing professional training under Akal Rozgar Yojna belong to the lower strata of the society. Out of the 33 trainees, 3 have no income at all; and others having Rs. 2000 as monthly income at an average which makes it near impossible to run the daily family affairs. Education for these families have become a remote possibility as most of these women could not complete their high school.
This batch of trainees includes 2 widows, 2 divorcees, 7 married and 22 unmarried women. “I will be able to support my family after this training. It is a miserable life for me, my little daughter and my parents”, said Beant Kaur, a divorcee for 4 years. She is living with her parents as her husband estranged her due to the demand of dowry. “I hope to be self-dependent and give my daughter a better education, so that she doesn’t face the problems which I faced in my life”, she added.
Paramjeet Kaur, 23, who is unmarried and belongs to a very poor family in Gurdaspur, Punjab, said, “I want to be self-dependent before my marriage. Due to this professional training in embroidery, I will be able to support my family which comprises two illiterate brothers engaged in labour, and parents unable to work in their old age. Additionally, due to my good monthly income, I hope to find a suitable match and married into a good family”.
Another woman, Surinder Kaur, has to support a big family of 7 members. Her husband is a mechanic, who is an alcoholic and works irregularly. Surinder Kaur said, “I am very hopeful and positive about this training. Now, I will be able to feed my 5 children. I have suffered a lot as my husband works for one month, and then doesn’t go to his job. By earning regularly and supporting my family, I will be able to live a peaceful life here onwards.”
Baba Iqbal Singh Ji doing Ardas
Inauguration of Akal Rozgar Yojna by Baba Iqbal Singh Ji
Trainees being blessed by Baba Iqbal Singh Ji
Inspection of training camp by Baba Iqbal Singh Ji
Women from the rural, remote and backward villages of Punjab undergoing training sessions in Delhi
Women from the rural, remote and backward villages of Punjab undergoing training sessions in Delhi
Women from the rural, remote and backward villages of Punjab undergoing training sessions in Delhi
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