While growing up in a small village in the Dungarpur district, Monika recalls how the idea of being a "burden" simply on account of her gender almost felt like a privilege. "When you have grown up with a physical disability and are a girl in a patriarchal society, you aren't simply a 'burden' in the same way every other girl is you bear a double burden," she says.
With the family's finances already in doldrums, Monika was like an invisible member of her family, who completed her school education and continued living at home doing simple household chores. Unlike other girls of her age, Monika was not even seen as a candidate for marriage, because of her disability. The monthly disability pension she received from the government, was hardly a consolation.
But soon, the tide began to change.
After encountering a skilling programme, where she was trained in tailoring, Monika worked hard to build herself. Midway into her training, Monika also lost her father, but undeterred, she established herself as a master trainer and now works at the same skill centre where she once was a student. Today, she is the sole breadwinner for the family, supporting food, supplies, and even her mother's Tuberculosis treatment.