Stitching Hope: How Rafooghar Mends Lives in Delhi

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.

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.

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..