Ramilaben’s World: Held Together by Love, Loss, and Relentless Hope

In the shadow of Motikhervan’s old trees, a raw house stands. Its walls are bare, but its heart is full—shaped by the quiet strength of Gamit Ramilaben, a widow and mother of three, holding her family together day after day.

Every morning, Ramilaben wakes before sunrise, the village softly stirring, her hearing worn thin by years of untreated pain. She lives with her children in her in-law’s house, caring for sons, daughter, and the memories of a husband now gone.

Her eldest son is married and starting his own journey. Her daughter, determined and hopeful, leaves for Jeevandeep Institute each morning in her crisp white uniform, preparing for a future as a nurse. The youngest, quiet and thoughtful, cycles to Ukhalda High School, his books tied with string, his dreams quietly growing. Ramilaben’s hope is simple: let them study and build lives beyond these walls.

The house bears her name, but the land is still in her husband’s. Her in-laws let her stay, yet inheritance remains unsettled. The family’s small comforts—electricity, gas, a mobile phone—feel precious, even as water still arrives in buckets and floors stay earthen.

Their income comes from hard work. Ramilaben labors in the fields, tends cows and goats, and contributes to a self-help group, nurturing self-reliance. Her elder son works at a Thermal plant, sending what he can. Her touch with animals is patient and skilled, coaxing milk and calm from stubborn livestock.

Daily struggles persist. Hearing loss keeps the world distant, and she has never received treatment. Sometimes her brother brings help. When the months grow thin, a widow’s pension or goat assistance from government schemes brings relief. She keeps every document safe, hoping for opportunity.

Still, she dreams of a stronger house, clean water, a toilet, more animals, and land in her own name. Through hardship, her spirit stays gentle, her days marked by care for her children and hope for what may come.

In her home, there is poverty, but there is also a quiet courage and hope that refuses to fade.

At Single Mother Foundation, we stand with women like Ramilaben, whose days begin before sunrise and whose dreams are woven into every act of care, no matter how small. Change takes root when help is more than a promise and when access to schemes, rights, and livelihood flows hand to hand, village to village. Every story is a step towards dignity—towards a future where women can build, earn, and inherit as their own. If you feel moved by journeys like Ramilaben’s and wish to help strengthen this circle of support, write to connect@singlemotherfoundation.org.

Brought to you by Nishant Joshi, who believes voices like Ramilaben’s can reach the places where hope is most needed.