Soft as a flower,
Stronger than a tower,
She is our personal angel,
Making magic happen with her miracle.
Since every day is a gift from her, on this weekend, we celebrate her, our mother. A mother gifts and brightens our life. As we begin celebrations of Mother’s Day weekend, we want to share this joy with our readers with some inspirational and lovely stories. Though every mother is precious and special, we selected three such mothers whose story will definitely make you smile.
A lady, who gave a new life to her village, before giving birth to her baby. While pregnant, Foolmati of Godhbhara village, MP, saved the lives of many farmers by learning and launching a greenhouse. Started from a small greenhouse, she now caters and helps 5 villages around her.
Another inspirational mother is CA Arwa M Neemuchwala. The biggest hurdle in our life is inability to accept our fault. Breaking this ugly chain of ego, she stands as a strong mother who accepted her mistake in picking a husband and transformed her life.
Now, as a single mother and inspiration to her little one, Neemuchwala is one of our supermoms.
Not far behind is Gayatri Pawar, whose story is told proudly by her daughter Layesha Sanghavi.
Mom gave birth to village before her baby
Meet Foolmati, a mother, a farmer’s wife... who changed the face of a district of Godhbhara Village, Singrauli district, in Madhya Pradesh.
Until a couple of years ago, Godbahra farmers tilled their lands and grew crops only during the monsoon. The families had depended on farming for generations to feed themselves. During the dry season, the farmers migrated to distant places to work as manual labour and earn wages. There were times when eating two meals a day seemed a luxury.
Foolmati was a farmer who enrolled for an orientation workshop on Agriculture Entrepreneurship with Pradan. While attending the sessions, she conceived the idea of a centralized vegetable nursery because local farmers did not have a reliable place to buy seeds or saplings. Slowly, but steadily, she started believing in her ability to change the prospect of vegetable cultivation; she offered her services to all the nearby five villages, where she now operates along with the Krishi Sakhi to ensure a reasonable income for vegetable farmers.
With an initial investment of Rs 12,500 for seeds and other inputs, Foolmati earned more than Rs 40,000 within a span of just three months. As Foolmati’s husband eyed an 80,000-capacity nursery for the next kharif, Panikas, a family of four, have become the face of a completely new style of agriculture that avoids loss and guarantees remunerative income in some of the poverty hotbeds of remote MP. They catered to 550 farmers from five different villages in MP in one month.
Foolmati created a greenhouse with a capacity for 40,000 saplings. Tomato, chilli, brinjal, cabbage, and cauliflower were sown; her nursery was ready with 25,000 lush green saplings within 3-4 months. She prepared 10,000 saplings in coco peat and the rest on raised beds. Foolmati used only organic materials such as VAM, Pseudomonas, Trichoderma, and cow dung.
The iron lady did everything, while she was expecting a child. A woman single-handedly changed the face of the village, with the help of Pradan’s rural development program. The village which struggled to feed their families other than the monsoon season has become self-sufficient in no time.
Accept mistakes, continue to grow, my darling
“As a mother, we have to take a stand for our daughter. I took that stand and I’m able to be my best self for my daughter. I went through a lot of abuse from my husband. Pari was 1.5 year old when I decided to take a stand and move out. She is my strength. Everything takes time. I made a decision for the betterment of my child and myself, not depending upon any financial help. Being a mother is my biggest gift. I was very unsure initially, because I’m very empathetic. I was worried about how to explain to my little Pari about her father. I still have decided to be honest and explain everything to her. Pari is much stronger, smarter and my love in life. I want to raise her to be a strong woman. I want her to be able to have her voice. I need her to speak up and be herself. It’s a lot for me as I have to earn, take care of the house and be a fix-it person. I made a mistake by choosing the wrong person in haste, but I accept my mistake. But I teach her, we all make mistakes but we must recover from them.”
CA Arwa M Neemuchwala, mother of Pari Sharma, studying in class 1 -C at Advanced Academy, Indore.
Mom can do it all with grace & determination
As Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary journey my mother and I shared. Despite the challenges life has thrown our way, her unwavering love and support have shaped me into the person I am today.
My story begins with the absence of my father, avoiding that could have left me feeling incomplete. Yet, my mother stepped into both roles with grace and determination. She became my rock, my mentor, and my greatest champion.
At the tender age of three, my mother recognized my artistic talents and nurtured them with boundless encouragement. She provided me tools and guidance to explore my creativity, igniting a passion that continues to drive me forward. Most of art artwork has been published in the FP (free press) school newspaper.
By the time I was seven, my mother introduced me to the world of computer coding. With her guidance, I discovered a love for programming that opened endless possibilities. She believed in me when others doubted, pushing me to excel beyond my wildest dreams.
During the dark days of COVID-19 pandemic, my mother's resilience shone brighter than ever. Despite facing financial hardships, she instilled me the importance of giving back to the community. At the age of nine, I donated 60 U.S. Dollar from my own earnings through a computer project to support our school (St. Joseph Convent) during these uncertain times inspired by my mother's selflessness.
At just eleven years old, I tackled the challenge of IIT python programming, a feat made possible by my mother’s unwavering belief in my abilities. Her faith in me gave me confidence to push the boundaries of what I thought was possible.
As I reflect on these milestones, I am filled with gratitude for the women who has shaped every aspect of my life. My mother’s love knows no bounds, and her sacrifices have paved the way for my success.
This Mother’s Day, I celebrate not only the incredible woman she is but also the profound impact she has on my journey. From abandonment to empowerment, my mother’s love has been the guiding light that has led me to where I am today. I am forever grateful for her unwavering support, and I strive to make her proud with every step I take.
Layesha Sanghvi
Class 7 - A
St. Joseph Convent School Bijalpur, AB Road, Indore
--