Samreen grew up Lucknow, India, in a household where her mother wasn’t allowed to do anything without her father’s permission. But when her father passed away, Samreen began to question the patriarchal norms that ruled her family. When she connected with AJWS partner Sadbhavna Trust, her world opened entirely. Sadbhavna Trust runs leadership workshops and …
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Ly Pisey grew up in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where LGBTQI+ people are alienated and pushed to the fringes of society. But Pisey — along with the activist organization she co-founded, Rainbow Community Kampuchea (RoCK) — is working to change what’s possible for her community nationwide. Today, with cultural acceptance of LGBTQI+ on the rise, Pisey …
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Misael was born into a family of Indigenous farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico — his connection to the land goes back generations. Today, he works for Flor y Canto, an AJWS grantee organization that mobilizes local communities to fight for their rights to land, water and other natural resources. In 2005, the Mexican government restricted farmers’ …
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Mercy Musila Musikali grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, like so many girls in her community: shy, lacking confidence and feeling limited by the social expectations of what women can be or do. But then she discovered boxing, and an entire world opened up to her. Today, Mercy is a coach and mentor for adolescent girls …
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At AJWS, fighting for human dignity is in our DNA.
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RAJASTHAN, INDIA — At 23, Manju Kumari is already a sarpanch, the elected head of her rural village. And she’s one of a rising number of women in India filling these political positions, ever since the government reserved a proportion of village leadership seats for women. But in the face of longstanding gender inequality and …
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“Hope for Her Daughters” tells the story of Rekha, who was married at 12 and had her first child at 13. She earns her living by sorting out recyclables from garbage, a difficult and sometimes dangerous job that’s fallen to extremely low-income families in India. Rekha presumed her daughters would have no choice but to follow the same path–until she got involved with Kashtakari Panchayat, an AJWS grantee.
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Watch our new animated video about AJWS’s work to end child marriage in India. AJWS supports efforts to end child marriage by bringing girls and young women together to define their own futures. Together we’re supporting girls in India to live with the dignity, safety and independence they deserve. Learn more about AJWS’s work to …
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As a teenager, Khushi Prajapati worried for her future. Her family had lost everything. Forced to move to a Delhi slum, she worked long hours as a maid, but the family could barely make ends meet. If she didn’t figure out a plan for her future, Khushi faced the likely prospect of an unwanted, early …
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Sonali’s parents forced her to marry at age 14, and her husband turned out to be abusive. Sonali found the strength to start her life over with the help of MBBCDS, an Indian organization in West Bengal funded by AJWS. She is now pursuing her goals, continuing her studies and working to prevent child marriage …
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