Madhuri Behera, a 29-year-old mother from the quiet village of Borpali in Bargarh, knows what it means to fight for survival. Her world fell apart when she lost her husband to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving her alone to care for her two young daughters.
Suddenly, the future she had dreamed of for her children seemed impossible. The weight of grief and responsibility pressed down on her as she tried to keep going. With no steady income, Madhuri pinned her hopes on a small paper plate-making machine—her only source of livelihood. But the machine was unreliable, breaking down often and leaving her with more questions than answers.
“I felt helpless,” Madhuri recalls. “The machine would stop working, and so would my income. There were nights I stayed awake wondering how I would feed my daughters the next day.”
Just when Madhuri was running out of strength, ABWCI stepped in like a ray of hope. They didn’t just see her struggles—they saw her potential. ABWCI repaired her machine, delivered raw materials to her doorstep, and taught her the skills she needed to run her business with confidence.
“They didn’t just give me tools—they gave me courage,” Madhuri says with emotion. “They brought food when my shelves were empty and helped me see that I wasn’t alone anymore.”
With ABWCI’s unwavering support, Madhuri’s income began to grow. Now earning ₹5,000–7,000 during slow months and ₹10,000–12,000 during peak seasons. More importantly, she gained the ability to look beyond survival and start planning for the future.
But Madhuri’s greatest victories weren’t just financial. It was seeing her daughters smile a little brighter, knowing they wouldn’t have to go to bed hungry. It was sending her 8-year-old to school without worrying about fees. It was having a kitchen that no longer felt empty.
“ABWCI gave me more than just money—they gave me hope,” Madhuri says, her voice steady but full of gratitude. “They treated me like family, encouraged me when I doubted myself, and showed me that I could stand on my own feet.”
Today, Madhuri dreams of expanding her small business and creating a secure future for her daughters. She knows the road ahead may not always be easy, but with the strength she has discovered—and the support she received—she’s ready to keep moving forward.
“I can finally breathe,” she says. “And for the first time, I believe my daughters will have the life I’ve always wanted for them.”
