DEEPA FOR WOMEN
Origin of our Expedition
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Deepa For Women was created in 2016 by high schooler Samvit Pisal and his father, Dhiraj Pisal. While visiting the Himalayas for a hiking trip during summer break, the two were touched by the experiences that they had in the remote villages scattered throughout the beautiful North-Indian countryside. At an altitude of 3000 meters, the two stayed at home-inn run by a local resident for the night. The village, where water is carried by buckets from a nearby river and electricity is a luxury, was also the home of a widow who had lost her 2 sons and husband to a avalanche in 2013. After talking with their hosts, along with some locals who stopped by in the evening, it was brought to their attention that all the woman in the many villages were forced to live there without any source of income and limited education opportunities due to the remote location. Being the base of a religious destination, the most common source of work was assisting pilgrims ascend the mountain by either carrying their luggage or by leading them on horses. Due to the physical labor required, these jobs were reserved for men and resulted in the women being forced to stay at home and having no financial independence. The women themselves described their futures as "bleak lives in which our roles are simple: cook, marry young, have children, raise them and eventually die." They believed that the lack of education and work meant that they couldn't do much in life and viewed their life as a "dark tunnel". From these sentiments, Deepa For Women, Light for Women, was created. These women are able to use the basic skills that they have mastered, such as sewing, to create items that are sold to raise funds for schools, basic amenities and a portion even goes to the worker who made the product. By buying any product from Deepa For Women, you are supporting their petition for government schools, running water, regular electricity, and financial independence. |