I am Vanaja. I hail from Thirukampuliyar village in the Karur district of Tamil Nadu, where I also work as a packer at a leading textile factory.
I got married 20 years ago and got pregnant with a baby boy, when my husband decided to abandon me and marry another woman four months after our wedding.
At present, I live in Thirumanilayur with my son, who is completing his higher studies.
Earlier, I lived my life with the support of my parents. As they were ageing, I found a job at the textile factory in 2004 as a checker to meet the basic financial expenses at home.
Vanaja at the factory
I got later promoted to line supervisor and quality checker. Although I have completed my higher studies, I have never gotten a full-time job until then due to my minimal exposure to the world.
While working at the factory, I participated in the Foundational and Advanced Training conducted by Swasti — a not-for-profit health organisation — in partnership with Walmart.
Since 2006, Swasti is partnering with factories to achieve worker well-being by influencing policies and implementing interventions focused on workers’ development.
In 2016, I was selected as a ToT (Trainer of Trainers). During the training sessions, I was equipped with communications skills, and I was able to identify my strengths and build leadership skills.
Post the training, the factory management requested me to fill in for another supervisor who was on leave. This time, I was in charge of a production line and was supervising 20 workers.
By the end of the week, I achieved more production than planned by having proper communication channels between my team and me. The management was very appreciative of my work, and they continue to assign other orders to me.
Moreover, I train my coworkers on various health topics, including personal and menstrual hygiene, and this has improved my confidence level extensively.
At present, I am learning acupuncture. I want to start my acupuncture facility shortly. My confidence has increased exponentially, and I have become more courageous.
I want to do many things — start my acupuncture facility and fight against domestic and gender-based violence. I have completely transformed, and I am very content in life. This is because of all the training I received through the partnership of the factory, Walmart, and Swasti.
Edited by Suman Singh
