Holding It All Together: Arunaben’s Everyday Courage

Arunaben, 36, lives in Motikhervan village of Songadh, Tapi. A widow and single mother, she finished her studies till class 8, but her real lessons have come from struggle.

She stays at her in-law’s home, quietly carrying the weight of the entire family. Her daughter, 19, and son, 18, studied up to class 10. After their father passed away, both children lost interest in school. Arunaben wishes she could guide them back, but they are firm—they want to earn and support her instead. Her daughter dreams of learning beauty parlour skills, eager to help at home. Her son has turned to labor work, wanting to ease the family’s burdens.

He brings home what he can from daily wage work, his hands rough and tired. The daughter takes care of housework and joins her mother in the fields. The land they work on is in the name of Arunaben’s mother-in-law, herself a widow, so nothing feels truly their own. Their house is raw—walls patched with mud, a roof that lets in wind. There’s barely enough water, the toilet is broken, and electricity comes and goes.

Arunaben works whenever she finds a chance, earning a little here and there. The money is always too little, but it is all they have. To keep the house running and attempt farming, she took a loan from a self-help group. Every month, she carefully sets aside a small amount to repay it; a portion is still left to pay. Each coin saved feels like a small victory.

Her steady job is at the thermal power station, cleaning from morning until her feet ache. Whatever she earns must stretch for everything: groceries, utilities, house repairs. There’s no water for the crops. They keep one buffalo, but it has stopped giving milk. Still, Arunaben’s hope rests on animal husbandry. With some financial help, she believes she could rear more animals, finally earn enough, and dream a little bigger.

Despite her careful collection of documents—identity cards, pension papers, passbooks—government housing help is yet to arrive. She gets a small widow’s pension, but it is not enough. Relatives, even her mother-in-law, do not lend a hand. Friends sometimes help when days turn especially hard.

What she needs is clear: a secure home, financial support for animal husbandry, a beauty parlour course for her daughter, better farming options, government assistance, and a rightful share in land. Yet, every morning, Arunaben still wakes before the sun, sweeps the yard, and quietly hopes for a better tomorrow.

Single Mother Foundation stands with women like Arunaben, helping them access skills, savings, and support. Through steady encouragement, Single Mother Foundation opens new doors for self-reliance. For more information or to be part of this mission, reach out to us at connect@singlemotherfoundation.org.

Brought to you by Nishant Joshi, in the hope that Arunaben’s voice echoes beyond her village.