By Pritesh Kamble, Inclusion – Unit Head
Supported by – Intel
Sachin Pralhad Chavan ( known as Sandhya), a transgender woman lives in a village of Nanded who has rebuilt her life with courage and determination. Growing up in a middle-class family, Sandhya always felt different. She faced rejection and harsh comments from neighbors and relatives. Although her parents allowed her to live at home but constant taunts made life painful. She longed to live with dignity and independence.
At the beginning of 2025, Sandhya decided to take control of her future. With very little money in hand, she started a small goat farming business. She began with just a few goats and spent her days grazing them, cleaning their shelter, and learning how to take proper care of them. The first year was full of challenges. Her goats often fell sick, she faced financial loss, and her income was only about ten thousand rupees a year. Many villagers laughed at her efforts and mocked her for choosing such hard work. But Sandhya didn’t give up. She believed that hard work and patience would someday bring results.
As time passed, she slowly increased her herd to ten goats. Even though her income was still small, she felt proud that she could stand on her own feet. Her journey took a different direction when she met Mr. Gajanan, who introduced her to Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA). The organization conducts Entrepreneurship Development Program for small business owners. Sandhya joined the two-day training with curiosity and hope. It was the first place where she felt accepted without judgment.
The training helped her learn how to calculate profit and loss, manage risks, save money, and plan for the future. Seeing her commitment, CYDA supported her with a grant of Rs. 10,000 to strengthen her business. She used the support to buy more goats and renovate the shelter. She applied everything she learned from the training to her work, and within six months, her income increased from ten thousand to nearly twenty thousand rupees.
Today, Sandhya looks after her goats, calling them her family. Each day’s earning gives her confidence that she can lead an independent life despite all odds. She now dreams of expanding her farm and helping other transgender people find their own path to stability. Sandhya says: “Let us live our truth with dignity. Every person, whether transgender or not, deserves respect, acceptance, and the freedom to follow their dreams.”
