Two Daughters, the Weight of Tomorrow: Vandnaben’s Story of Grit and Grace

In a quiet corner of Motikhervan, where the morning sun filters through neem leaves, Gamit Vandnaben begins her day before most of the village has opened its eyes. She is 38, a widow, and the mother of two daughters who are still in school. Together, they live in her in-laws’ home, a place where five lives intersect and every responsibility is shared, though some burdens fall heavier on her shoulders.

Vandnaben’s heart beats for her daughters’ future. Even when grief was fresh, after her husband passed away from illness, she held on to courage and self-confidence. Each morning, she sets out for work at a multispecialty hospital, where she cleans hallways and patient rooms so her girls can stay in school and imagine something greater for themselves. She does not complain about the tiredness in her bones, or the fact that her income is the only one the family relies on.

There are two houses—one in her own name, another in her father-in-law’s—both offering shelter and simple comfort. Yet the land beneath them is not hers, a reminder that true security still sits just out of reach. Money is tight, with no savings possible. What comes in from her widow pension and hard-earned wages is spent on food, books, and the daily needs of her daughters.

She has always been skilled with her hands. Animal husbandry is an art she knows well, and she dreams of doing more—maybe starting a small business in sewing, or learning to make papads and pickles to sell. She is eager for training, hoping for a time when she can stand on her own feet and maybe even teach her girls to do the same.

Her in-laws and sisters offer support where they can. She has all her documents in order, yet help has not reached much beyond the monthly pension. She worries about how she’ll fund her daughters’ education and wishes for guidance to claim her share of land, so she can begin to farm and build a more certain future.

Vandnaben lives simply and with quiet health, her strength hidden in every small act of care for her daughters. She faces each day with a gentle steadiness, fueled by love and the stubborn hope that one day her girls will step into a world brighter than her own.

At Single Mother Foundation, we walk with women like Vandnaben, whose dreams for their children outshine the struggles they face. Change begins with support that is personal and real—when women are given the tools to earn, inherit, and educate, dignity follows. Every story we share is a step toward a world where every mother can build a better tomorrow. If Vandnaben’s story moves you and you wish to help strengthen her circle of support, write to connect@singlemotherfoundation.org.

Brought to you by Nishant Joshi, who believes voices like Vandnaben’s can light a path for hope wherever it is needed most.