Yogesh Nerpagar, Assistant Director, CYDA
Supported by UNICEF and Tribal Development Department of Maharashtra
Across India’s villages, women are often regarded as primary caregivers, responsible for managing household chores. When women step into non-traditional livelihoods, such as plumbing, electrical repair, carpentry, or masonry, the impact extends far beyond income. It challenges deep-rooted stereotypes, redefines identities, and inspires entire communities to think differently about gender and work.
Gauri, a 28-year-old from Vadeshwar village in Pune district, broke barriers to pursue her dreams beyond her kitchen walls and became a skilled technician through the CYDA’s WASH Mitra Project.
A housewife with an unseen dream
Gauri’s life was spent cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning, caring for her children, and managing household chores every day. Her husband, who works as a security guard with Tata Power and takes up part-time electrician work at an ashram school, was her first source of encouragement. One day, the ashram staff mentioned CYDA’s skills training program. Gauri always believes that women can handle tools, fix problems, and build their own identity outside the home. With her husband’s support, she participated in the 16-day intensive training program under the WASH Mitra Project, where she learnt plumbing, electrical work, solar repair, carpentry, and masonry skills usually reserved for men.
Learning with courage, facing the laughter
The training was not easy. Holding heavy tools, climbing ladders, and learning about electrical circuits required strength and determination. But Gauri soon realised that learning to use heavy tools or climb ladders was not the most challenging part. However, the real challenge was overcoming people’s attitudes, doubts, and disbelief, as those who thought a woman could never do this kind of work. Her neighbors laughed at the idea of a woman picking up a spanner or climbing onto rooftops to fix wiring. Some mocked her: “A woman plumber? How will she manage? This is men’s work!”
However, Gauri chose not to step back. With her husband’s support, she moved forward. Her goal was to establish her own identity.
Interestingly, studies by the UN on Women show that social resistance is one of the biggest hurdles rural women face when they step into male-dominated trades. Yet, when they persist, communities gradually begin to accept and even celebrate their work.
From first earning to family support
For the first time, Gauri earned money through her own skills. Money was not the matter; what mattered was her independence. She began repairing leaking taps in schools, fixing water pipelines in homes, installing Miniature Circuit Breakers and cleaning water tanks. Her work was professional, reliable and gradually word spread across her village and nearby areas.
In just a short period, she earned Rs.55,000/- a figure that once seemed impossible for her. This improved her socio-economic condition, which is one of the motives of the WASH Mitra initiative. Now, she could stand shoulder to shoulder with her husband in supporting the family by sharing all the responsibilities. She carries her toolkit, walks into schools and homes and earns respect as a skilled technician.
CYDA’s Intervention: The Turning Point
The WASH Mitra Project was more than just a training program—it was a turning point. CYDA provided not only technical knowledge but also confidence. They created an environment where women like Gauri could experiment, practice and realize their potential.
The training provided her with tools, but more importantly, it gave her a new sense of identity. No longer “just a housewife,” she became a technician, a provider, and a role model in her community. Her children now see her differently.
Impact: From Homemaker to Adisakhi
People in her village call her an Adisakhi—a skilled woman technician breaking barriers. Her story has inspired other young women in the village to consider stepping beyond traditional roles. She often tells them, “If I can climb a ladder and fix an electrical fault, so can you. Skills don’t belong to men alone.”
