Women’s Day 2024: Meet Mumbai's young slum champions transforming lives

Saleha Khan (21) from Govandi was on the verge of dropping out of school when a revelation struck her. With concerns surrounding women's safety in Govandi, her parents decided to discontinue her schooling. However, she believed there was more to life than living under the fear of social pressures.

"I convinced my parents to let me study and give me a chance to prove myself. Upon agreement, I was enrolled in a school where I completed grades 9 and 10, in 2018. Post matric, what transpired was a life-altering event for me and my family," Saleha tells Midday.

With her relentless desire to pursue education, Saleha became a recipient of the Savitribai Phule Award at the state level. When she was headed to the award ceremony, she decided to take her father along who was left speechless and humbled by her daughter's outstanding achievements. Thus, began her journey as a changemaker in Mumbai's slums.

Getting ahead of the curve in Govandi
Coming from a Muslim background - Khan admits the economic disparities that mar her community. Often Muslim girls abandon education owing to a myriad of issues like women's safety, financial constraints, supporting family and lack of proper schools in the locality. Endowed with the will of steel, Saleha overcame obstacles only to lay out a blueprint for fellow girls with aspirations.

She remarks, "I am the most educated girl in my family." Currently pursuing a Masters' in Sociology - she has taken upon the role of challenging societal stereotypes and breaking the mould. College-goer in the day and a reformer by night - her desire to bring a change in society is rooted in her vision to create more ‘Salehas' like her.

Consequently, she began sensitising young women in her neighbourhood towards education and health. "To this date, many young women continue to drop out of school when their menstrual cycle commences. Due to unfound inhibitions, fear and lack of education, parents discontinue their schooling - thereby, obstructing their development."

It is this repression that Saleha aims to eradicate by working as a volunteer with Bal Raksha Bharat: a non-governmental organisation that works for the welfare of underprivileged children in the neglected corners of Indian society.

‘Main bhi isi basti se hu'
Saleha recalls the initial hesitance she faced when she began voicing her ideas. ‘When I began conducting awareness sessions, I lacked confidence. Nonetheless, as I went deeper into social work, I gradually became sure of myself. This was more pronounced during the Disaster Risk Management program, where I learnt and taught others how to bring change within the self by taking a stand for our people."

A ‘Child Champion' with Bal Raksha Bharat, she spreads the message of education and health amongst the people of her community. "I tell the parents of young daughters - Main bhi isi basti se hu, kyu na hum sab milkar ek group banaye sath school janey k liye?"

With persistent efforts, Saleha has empowered several teenage girls from Govandi to attend school in packs of 8-10. They say small drops make an ocean and ocean it is - of sisterhood, camaraderie and a profound sense of achievement upon breaking stereotypes.

Speaking about her vision, Saleha's dream is to rekindle hope in the hearts of young girls. "Many girls are devoid of equal opportunities due to the misogynistic nature of our society. It is a deeply unfortunate reality and my only wish is to give these girls the same opportunity that I got back in 2017."

The Saleha has been to New York to represent India at the United Nations - Sustainable Development Goals program in 2023, conducted 275 sessions on menstrual health, delivered a TEDx talk, participated in programs by Youth Ki Awaz, mobilised girls for ‘kabaddi' training and much more. Saleha emerges as a ray of light that refuses to dim down no matter what challenges life throws at her.

Curating dreams at Cuff Parade
During her formative years, Lakshmi Rambalak Mendon (18) from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Nagar, Cuffe Parade watched a South Indian movie that happened to stir her soul. Called ‘Miss India,' the plot of the film revolves around a female entrepreneur who goes to the United States and deals with daunting challenges - only to emerge as a successful businesswoman.

Watching the movie was like an epiphany. Taking a cue from the lead, she began aspiring to become a beautician. In a conversation with Midday, she shares: "I enrolled for a beauty course when I was in grade 9 with Salaam Bombay Foundation."

Post lessons, Laxmi would come home to experiment with make-up looks on her mother's and sister's faces. Not only this, she began imparting beauty services at her chawl in Ambedkar Nagar and made financial gains. However, things were not always this smooth for the Bihar-based girl.

Growing from one's grief
"My father used to sell clothes at Churchgate to earn daily wages. One day, he left for Kurla to collect a new piece of stock when he met with an accident and succumbed to his injuries. This happened when I was only in grade 7 and it left us shattered," shares Laxmi.

A father is someone who provides his family with a quality life, education, health and that is exactly how Laxmi's father served his unit. However, his demise left a deep void in the life of Mendons and they had to migrate back to Bihar for two years.

"It was very difficult for us and especially so for our mother. She's very hard working but she never had to go out to earn as my father provided for everything. Our mother only had to take care of our health, nutrition and home chores but now she was left alone to take care of three children all by herself," Laxmi explains.

Even though Mumbai is called the city of dreams, people tend to downplay the amount of effort it takes to fulfill those dreams. It was no different for Laxmi's mother who had to shed her walls for survival. She began upskilling herself, learnt marketing techniques and began selling kid's wear at Cuffe Parade to provide for her children's education.

"Till this date, she works hard for us to ensure that we feel no gaps. Nothing is missing except our father," she adds. Pursuing an Economics major while minoring in Psychology at Sophia College, Laxmi dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.

Beauty with a purpose
Despite challenges, Laxmi has not given up on her dreams. "Many industries work only for privileged women who can afford quality products. That's not who I am targeting. I want to educate women living in slums on beauty enhancers like facials, pedicures, manicures, spas, etc."

Upon research, Laxmi has derived that for underprivileged women - it's tougher to avail beauty services. "Most of the women, want to look good but they cannot afford makeovers owing to skewed prices. Also, a lot of these women carry misinformed notions about products and hence refrain from trying out skin treatments."

She continues, "I believe that when you look good, you feel good and that is when you perform well. Thus, I want these women to shed inhibitions. I admit that I have to work very hard to raise awareness about my beauty products as these women find creams to be harmful."

Hailing from Seoli in Bihar, Laxmi's articulation is sharp and she knows how to hit the message home. Her dream is to launch her beauty parlour, to provide distinguished services at a cost lower than market prices.

She also plans to provide chemical-free, homemade products for her customers so that they know what she is providing is safe. She also wants to employ others like her to expand her business and manage her studies at the same time. Lakshmi stands out as an inspiration to all the young girls who aspire to be entrepreneurs and make their dreams come true in the face of adversities.

Technology for a greener planet
On a typical afternoon walk back from school, Antop Hill-based Pooja Kamleskumar Jaiswal's (15) heart sank when she noticed her favourite chilli plant had dried up. Its once vibrant leaves had turned brown and its branches had shriveled up.

Upon a discussion with her mother, she learnt that the plants had been over-watered. The death of her cherished plant filled Pooja with rage and a desire to do something about it. Determined to turn her sorrow into action, she embarked on a tech-mission.

Armed with a scientific temper, Pooja conceptualised a soil moisture sensor to revolutionize plant care. Reflecting on her innovation, she shares with Midday, "Just like humans require balanced nutrition for survival, plants thrive on the right amount of water. Any imbalance can spell disaster for their well-being, impacting not only their lives but also our environment on a larger scale."

Her solution? An ingenious automated plant watering system that she devised in 2022. Equipped with a sensor that can gauge soil's moisture needs, Pooja's invention ensures plants receive precisely the hydration they need. This breakthrough, nurtured under the TECHVISION project, embodies her passion for technological innovation.

A budding inventor with an eye on the future, Pooja's journey is not just about acclaim and accolades. Engaged with the Salaam Bombay Foundation for a year now, she is keen to uncover the realm of robotics, driven by a vision to create a meaningful impact. "I want to become a robotics engineer and shape the landscape of technology for bettering our environment," she adds.

With ambitions soaring high, Pooja aims to take her project to the national level. Undeterred by challenges, she dreams of a commercial scale-up for her watering devise, recognising the pressing need for her innovation.