Shine Conference India

We’re proud to share this fantastic story coming out of India, especially just days after International Women’s Day.

Our partner for project J1096N in India, Project Help India just recently held their third Shine Women’s Conference, after the 2020 conference was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The conference was held in a town called Kotdwara with over 500 women attending, as well as several side meetings held in small villages and communities to ensure that as many women as possible are reached.

The Shine Women’s Conference is an important aspect of the 'Project Help India' vision. Many of the conference delegates are women who live in slums or jungle villages, often in terrible poverty.

Teenage girls, mothers, grandmothers, school teachers and community leaders attended, with a conference aim of empowering women in all spheres of life, sharing a message of dignity, strength, purpose and value.

The conferences in 2018 and 2019 became the talk of Northern India, with local media doing press releases, billboard advertising, and even politicians and Bollywood celebrities wanting to both attend and be seen supporting and advocating for this important cause.

Read on for the story of Asha, a conference attendee, who was impacted positively by the conference. (Image: Asha pictured far left)

As Asha reflects on the impact that Project Help has had on her life and family, she shared how Shine Conference has been a significant highlight helping her to know that she has importance. “This program tells women their purpose of living” she says.

She also shared that the conference was the only time when she and many women could have a rest, dance and have some fun. All the women were given a mirror at the Conference. Asha shared that when she now looks in the mirror she can take care of herself and is reminded of her value and worth.

The conference also trains women and provides them knowledge on hygiene and health, Asha shared that the first time she had ever seen a sanitary napkin was when she was given one at Shine Conference.

The best thing she says was that “Shine Conference taught me to live happily in whatever conditions I’m in, the lady should know her value, her purpose of life and her strength.”

Asha now shares this message with her friends and other women in her community. The women in the slum highly respect Asha, and come to her for guidance, help and support in the day-to-day problems that they face. Asha now shares this message with many of the women in her community.