Stitching Hope: How Rafooghar Mends Lives in Delhi

by | Aug 2, 2024 | Empowerment of Women and Girls, ShiftHappens

Location: INDIA

Beneficiaries: Marginalized women

The Project

A transforming initiative for the lives of marginalized women in New Delhi. Pooja Dhingra’s “Rafooghar- The House that Mends” has blossomed into a sanctuary where threads and needles weave more than just fabric – they stitch together stories of resilience, hope, and sisterhood.

Every Sunday, women gather in this safe haven, using the age-old art of stitching to express their deepest emotions and experiences. Rafooghar has become a place where laughter mingles with tears, where whispered secrets find solace in shared understanding. For many, it’s a cherished ‘maika’ (mother’s home), offering respite from the harsh realities of daily life. Here, women find the courage to break their silence, process trauma, and take steps towards healing and justice. Through the simple act of embroidery, Rafooghar has cultivated a powerful sense of community, enabling women to reclaim their voices and identities in a society that often seeks to silence them.

The Impact of the Seed Grant

With the support our seed grant, Rafooghar has blossomed into a vibrant community space in one of New Delhi’s most marginalized neighborhoods. The grant enabled collaboration with talented artists, facilitators, and art educators, who developed impactful modules for the women artists. Under their guidance, women whose opinions are often disregarded have found a powerful medium of expression. Their embroidered pieces have become more than just art – they’re catalysts for crucial conversations on identity, mobility, agency, and gender justice. The collective act of stitching has not only facilitated emotional healing but has also forged a supportive sisterhood where women uplift each other.

In a patriarchal environment that often renders women invisible, Rafooghar has empowered its participants to assert their presence and resist marginalization. Through their needlework, these women have reclaimed their right to rest, leisure, and self-expression, demonstrating how a simple craft can become a potent tool for therapy, empowerment, and social advocacy.

 

Thank you for believing in the project. We are now in our second year and are extremely happy with all that we have achieved so far. Our women are dreaming of even bigger things and envisioning a brighter future.

 

The Future

As Rafooghar continues to flourish, its impact ripples outward, promising an even brighter future. The project is expanding its horizons, responding to the women’s desire for education with study groups and professional stitching training. These initiatives pave the way for potential livelihood programs, offering participants new avenues for economic independence.

Rafooghar’s innovative community-building methodology is gaining recognition, with invitations to conduct workshops at museums and galleries in Delhi. This not only spreads the project’s empowering message but also provides paid opportunities for the women to share their experiences and develop leadership skills.

Looking ahead, Rafooghar aims to launch “Hosla Afzai,” a mentorship program that will nurture the artistic talents of women and girls through guidance from established artists. Plans are also underway for “Daastaan-e-rafoo-Stories in stitches,” a graphic narrative that will showcase how stitching became a powerful tool for emotional repair and resistance. As Rafooghar continues to grow, it stands as a testament to the transformative power of community, creativity, and compassion, weaving a brighter future one stitch at a time.

Pooja Dhingra

Pooja Dhingra is a conceptualiser, art director, and graphic designer who founded Compassion Contagion, an online archive documenting acts of compassion through art. She has designed for various non-profits, focusing on issues like discrimination, social exclusion, and women’s rights. Dhingra uses design to create awareness, as seen in her ‘Cut the Crap’ series, now an art installation at Wilfrid Laurier University.

She has received grants from the University of York for Compassion Contagion and created the ‘Stitching Futures’ toolkit for those working with marginalized women in India. Dhingra also initiated ‘Art Aid’ to raise funds for pandemic relief. Her work has been featured in several publications and was highlighted in British Council’s ‘She Leads’ campaign as one of their favorite women creators from India..

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In Mushin, Lagos, Vision Care for Kids is bringing this dream to life by improving the eyesight of children aged 6-16 in underserved communities. With the support of one of our seedgrants, this school-based initiative is set to:

👓 Screen 150 school children for visual impairments.
👓 Provide eyeglasses, eye drops, and essential medications.
👓 Train 20 community healthcare workers and teachers in eye care awareness.

Through community engagement, school-based interventions, and education workshops, this project aims to reduce childhood blindness and promote early detection of vision problems, giving every child a brighter, clearer future.

We’re proud to support this incredible work that’s transforming lives - one pair of glasses at a time. 💛

#EyeCareForAll #VisionCareForKids #ThePollinationProject #ChildHealth #CommunityImpact #BetterFuture #MushinLagos
✨ "Every child deserves to see the world clearly." NEW PROJECT ✴️
In Mushin, Lagos, Vision Care for Kids is bringing this dream to life by improving the eyesight of children aged 6-16 in underserved communities. With the support of one of our seedgrants, this school-based initiative is set to:

👓 Screen 150 school children for visual impairments.
👓 Provide eyeglasses, eye drops, and essential medications.
👓 Train 20 community healthcare workers and teachers in eye care awareness.

Through community engagement, school-based interventions, and education workshops, this project aims to reduce childhood blindness and promote early detection of vision problems, giving every child a brighter, clearer future.

We’re proud to support this incredible work that’s transforming lives - one pair of glasses at a time. 💛

#EyeCareForAll #VisionCareForKids #ThePollinationProject #ChildHealth #CommunityImpact #BetterFuture #MushinLagos
🌍✨ Monday Sharing ✨🌍
The smallest acts of kindness can create waves of change. 🌱💛
What’s one small way you can make the world a better place this week? 🌟
Whether it’s a kind word, a helping hand, or a moment of generosity—every action matters. Drop your ideas in the comments! 👇💬

🧡 Tag someone who inspires you to take action!