Empowering women through skilling: Zohra’s Journey with SNEHA

- Riya Gupta

SNEHA started the Swasthya Sevika programme in 2004, The Nurse Aide Programme is an 8-month long course that trains young women to become nurse aides in private hospitals, nursing homes, and maternity homes. 

35 years old Zohra, born and raised in Mumbai, had limited education, completing only her 7th grade. Her parents passed away when she was young, and she was brought up by her grandparents, who decided no further schooling for her. In 2010, she married a man 25 years older than her, and unfortunately, her marriage brought years of physical and verbal abuse from her husband and in-laws. When her husband was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage, her in-laws refused to support her, leaving her alone.

While seeking help for her husband, Zohra learned about SNEHA's Romila Palliative Care (RPC) program and admitted him there. She began working in the kitchen as a server to make ends meet. But when her in-laws banned her from their home, Zohra was left with nowhere to turn. With the encouragement of a counselor, she enrolled in SNEHA’s nurse aide course online during COVID-19. However, due to her challenging circumstances, she couldn’t complete it that time.

Undeterred, Zohra saved money by working in patient care and later again joined SNEHA’s Vile Parle center in November 2023 to pursue the nurse aide course in person. During her studies, her husband passed away, leaving her alone and grief-stricken. Despite her loss and isolation, Zohra found the strength to complete the course and sit for her exams.

For her internship, Zohra joined Jeevan Hospital, but another setback awaited her—she was involved in an accident, suffering spinal and cervical injuries that required a month of bed rest. True to her resilient spirit, Zohra returned after her recovery, completed her internship, and went on to finish her geriatric training as well.

Today, Zohra is working with SNEHA’s RPC center as a Nurse Aide, earning a monthly salary of INR 15,000.

She is grateful for the opportunities SNEHA provided her, saying

"SNEHA ek vriksh hai, aur main uska phal hu. Main SNEHA mein reh kar usse bada hona dena chaahti hu" ("SNEHA is like a tree, and I am its fruit. I want to grow and give back to it by staying with SNEHA").