Here is a spotlight on how Ambika, who lives in Bangalore, India with her husband and three children has benefitted from M&G’s funding of the SOS Children’s Villages Empowering Families programme.
The support which has been provided by the programme over the last five years has been life changing for Ambika and her family.
Ambika’s children were all anaemic and underweight, so SOS Children’s Villages provided Ambika with nutritional supplements to help restore their health, and she was provided with information on the importance of a balanced diet. Her children also received support with tuition fees and school supplies, allowing them to attend school on a regular basis.
Ambika also enrolled in one of SOS India’s Self-Help Groups, which equipped her with the skills and knowledge to help her manage her money, including getting a personal bank account and learning about savings and insurance. Through the Self-Help Group, Ambika also took lessons in entrepreneurship development, financial literacy, communication, and parenting skills.
The Empowering Families programme has helped Ambika’s family meet their basic needs throughout the early days of the pandemic. As restrictions lifted, they began a new professional endeavour. Along with her husband, Ambika now makes a comfortable living by selling vegetables.
Ambika, said: “Before SOS’s support, I always thought that our poor situation would be the same forever. That nothing would change. But, as soon as I came to the Empowering Families programme and started attending sessions, my perception changed. I am enormously proud of being a part of the SOS family and the Self-Help Group. They have motivated and energised me to move towards my dreams.”