By Swati Shirtar, Asst. Director
What truly makes someone stand out from the crowd? It’s not just education or technical know-how but also the personality, the attitude to bounce back from difficulties, and the confidence to create your own identity. These are called soft skills, and they are just as important as technical skills. Soft skills, like communication, self-awareness, confidence, and empathy, help people face life’s unexpected challenges with resilience. They give you the courage to speak up, the ability to work with others, and the mindset to solve problems instead of being crushed by them. Without these, opportunities can pass by unnoticed, and even the most talented person can feel stuck.
In many low-income urban communities, especially in the slums of Pune, women live behind invisible walls-walls built from gender stereotypes, family restrictions, emotional trauma, and societal expectations. Some are single mothers or widows. Others face domestic violence, social stigma, or abandonment by partners. These struggles are heavy, often leaving women feeling invisible and powerless.
CYDA recognized that these women needed more than just a job opportunity-they required the tools to rediscover their worth and take charge of their lives. So, in collaboration with Bajaj Finserv, it has designed an intervention that provides young women with both soft and hard skills to enter sectors that are predominantly male-dominated. Through its 6-day Soft Skills and Gender Identity training, it has helped women break these barriers, reclaim their confidence, and step into the world with dignity.
The training covers far more than just workplace etiquette. It builds communication skills, teaches women to speak and listen effectively, creates awareness about gender and patriarchy, and helps them explore their own identity beyond the labels society puts on them. It also offers practical lessons in financial literacy, digital safety, mental health awareness, and job readiness.
For many women, this was the first time they looked inward and realized they were more than the roles assigned to them. Karuna Jadhav, a mother of two abandoned by her husband, says, “Earlier, I only thought about daily expenses. After the training, I started thinking about myself for the first time.” She went on to complete a computer course, found a part-time job, and now earns Rs15,000 a month-her life no longer defined by betrayal, but by independence.
For Pooja, a transgender woman and single parent, the training built the confidence to face public judgment with pride. Today, she earns Rs13,000 a month as a cab driver, owning her identity instead of hiding it. And for 19-year-old Sakshi, burdened with caring for her mentally ill mother and sister, the program sparked a belief in her future. She now studies while earning Rs14,000 a month to support her family.
The impact doesn’t stop at individuals. Families that once resisted women working outside, believing it was unsafe or inappropriate, are now supporting them after seeing the stability and respect it brings. Seema Aadsule’s father and brother, who once opposed her working, now take care of her child while she earns a steady income.
The training’s activities, like “Hand on Hand,” “Opening the Fist,” and “Listening Pairs”,-help women open up, process emotions, and heal. Discussions on gender roles connect their personal struggles to broader social issues, creating collective strength and solidarity. One participant said: “Main pehli sirf ladki thi, ab main ek insaan hoon. Mujhe pehchaan mili hai.” (“Earlier, I was just surviving. Now, I am a human being. I have found my identity.”)
These words show that change is possible when someone gets the right opportunity and platform. These trainings help women find their voice, make confident choices, and value themselves. Women who once lived in silence are now leading their own journeys by breaking boundaries that once felt impossible to cross.
