Let Her Dream, Let Her Decide

I work in a small village name Selu, in Nagpur district. My days are filled with stories – not the kind you find in books or movies, but the kind that live in people’s eyes, in their voices, in their silences.

Every day, I sit with women-some laugh loudly, some speak gently and some… don’t speak at all. But each of them carries a world within her. A world of struggles, of hopes, of memories and of strength.

My work is called women’s empowerment. It sounds like a big word, doesn’t it? But the truth is, it’s very simple.

Empowerment means reminding women of their own worth.
It means sitting beside them when the world turns its back.
It means holding their hand until they feel ready to walk alone.

But one day, I asked myself- What does empowerment really mean?
Is it the same for every woman?

I thought of Roshni tai.
She is kind. She is smart. She always wants to learn new things. But if there is a small training in the next village, she cannot just go. First, she must ask her husband. Then her mother-in-law. And if anyone says “no,” she stays back.
For her, empowerment is not about a career or a business.
It is simply the right to step outside without fear.
To say, “I want to go” – and go.

I thought of Neha tai.
She has a Master’s degree. She has read so many books. She could have done anything. But today, she stands quietly in the kitchen, cooking for everyone, living like a shadow in her own home.
Nobody tells her to stay silent. But nobody asks her what she wants either.
For her, empowerment could be just one simple question: “Neha, what do you want?” A question that could open the doors of her heart.

Then I thought of Kiran tai.
Every night, her husband comes home drunk. Every night, she hears the same shouting, feels the same slap. She doesn’t scream. She doesn’t cry. She just closes her eyes and waits for morning.
For her, empowerment is not about meetings or speeches.
It is about safety.
It is about dignity.
It is about sleeping peacefully – without fear.

These are not made-up stories. These are real women. Women I sit with every week. Women I laugh with. And somewhere in their

stories, I also find my own.

Because I, too, had everything – food, clothes, books and comfort. I had everything ever I wanted. But I didn’t have enough freedom. I was told where I could go, who I should be.Everyone said girls should become teachers because it’s a “safe job”. I wasn’t beaten. But I was limited. And I wanted more.

I wanted to fulfil my dreams. I wanted to do something by which I can serve people and I came here. For me, that was empowerment.

Now, every day, I sit with these women – under trees, on mud floors, in small rooms. We hold meetings. We share. We talk. We learn.

And slowly, something beautiful is happening.

The women are changing. I won’t say that I’ve changed everything… but I can say this with all my heart- they are changing, slowly, gently. In the silence of their eyes, I can now see a quiet spark of hope.

They raise their hands now.
They ask questions.
They speak in front of others.
They dance without shame.
They smile with pride.
The light in their eyes is returning.

There is a line I love:
“All houses are dark, until the mother wakes up.”

If this is true, then why don’t we ask the mother what she wants?
Why don’t we listen to her dreams?
Why don’t we give her the space to shine?

We celebrate Sunita Williams, the astronaut who spent months in space. We share her photo proudly. But imagine – what if her husband had said, “No, you can’t go. Space is not for women.” Would she still be a hero for us? If not, then why do we stop the women in our own homes? Why do we say, “Don’t go out, don’t speak, don’t dream”?

Empowerment is not about giving power to women. It is about recognizing the power they already have – and letting them use it.

And of course, it looks different for every woman.
For one, it’s the freedom to study.
For another, it’s the courage to say “no.”
For someone else, it’s just the chance to rest without pain.

But no matter what, it all begins in the same way: By respecting her dreams.

It means giving back what was always theirs-freedom, dignity and the right to dream. And most of all, it means walking beside them-until they believe, deep in their hearts, that they deserve to be seen, heard and respected.

So next time you hear the word Empowerment, don’t imagine a stage or a microphone.
Imagine a woman holding a pen for the first time. A woman smiling without fear.
A woman saying, “Today, I chose for myself.”

That – that is Empowerment.