Swati Naik from Khorlim, Mapusa, had a normal, happy life like any young woman. She dreamed of marriage and family, and for a while, everything went as planned. However, life had unexpected challenges in store for her. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and Swati soon found herself at a critical crossroads — one where stopping was not an option. After her husband’s untimely passing, the responsibility of raising her children fell entirely on her shoulders.

“Around 1995, I got married, and soon we had a family of four children, and life was good, with my husband supporting me. But about six years into our marriage, he passed away suddenly. It felt like my world had collapsed. I was in complete shock, unsure of how to provide for my children. I had been mostly doing housework while my husband handled finances, and now everything was left to me. I had no one to confide in, but I told myself I couldn’t lose courage — I had to ensure my children got an education,” Swati recalls.

Around that time, a well-wisher advised her to take up a job to support her children’s future. “With no other option, I took up a daily wage........

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