Two widowed Pune mothers become drivers; programme helps 75 women find jobs

When Jyoti Sonawale lost her husband during the Covid-19 pandemic, she suddenly became responsible for raising three daughters and running the household. She tried different small jobs but struggled to find a stable income. Today, she drives employees of IT companies in Hinjewadi, Pune, and her daughters proudly tell people that their mother is a professional driver.Sulochana's journey took a different route but began with a similar loss.

After her husband died, she left her marital home with her three daughters and took up domestic work to support them. She spent nearly two years washing clothes, cleaning houses and cooking before deciding to learn how to drive. Today, she works as a professional driver, sometimes taking up two shifts in a day to meet her family's needs.Both women are part of a growing group of women in Pune who have entered professional driving through a training and employment initiative run by Nirman.

According to its official website, the programme, led by Vaishali Bhandwalkar, has trained around 100 women over the past three to four years, and nearly 75 have found work as professional drivers. Their reported monthly earnings range from ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 on average, with some earning up to ₹50,000 depending on their assignments.The story of Jyoti SonawaleJyoti, 45, lives in Nigdi, Pune.

As reported by Loksatta and various media, when her husband and mother-in-law died during the Covid-19 pandemic, she was left to raise her three daughters without the support she had previously relied on. She tried different small jobs, but finding a regular source of income was difficult. When she heard about professional driving training, she decided to give it a chance.After completing the course, Jyoti began working as a driver, transporting patients to hospitals and other destinations across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

She later secured work transporting employees of IT companies in Hinjewadi.“Today, I have been working as a professional driver for the past three years. This work has given me financial stability, confidence and the strength to live with dignity. I can now support my daughters’ education and take care of my family’s needs. My daughters proudly tell people, ‘Our mother is a professional driver.’ Seeing that pride in their eyes makes everything worthwhile,” she told Hindustan Times in a conversation.For Jyoti, the work has provided a regular way to earn while continuing to take care of her daughters.

Their pride in her profession has also become an important part of her story.Sulochana: Working two shifts to raise three daughtersSulochana lives in Manjari and originally belongs to Barshi taluka in Solapur district. Her husband, who worked as a field officer, died four years ago. She subsequently left her marital home with her three daughters and had limited support from her parental family.

She began doing domestic work to support the children. For nearly two years, she washed clothes, cleaned houses and cooked for different households.Learning to drive, however, was something she had wanted to do even when her husband was alive. He had not supported the idea at the time. After his death, she decided to pursue it herself.In 2022-23, she enrolled in a driving school and learnt to drive within three months.

Finding a job as a woman driver was not easy. Through a contact, she eventually learnt about opportunities for women from marginalised communities and secured work transporting employees of a multinational company in the Viman Nagar-Kharadi area. Her workday can involve two shifts. She transports employees between 8 am and 3 pm and then heads to Pune airport for another assignment, sometimes working until 11 pm or midnight.Her schedule is demanding, but professional driving has given her a way to earn through a skill she had wanted to learn for years.How a Pune initiative helped women enter professional drivingThe programme that brought Jyoti and Sulochana into the profession is run by Nirman under the leadership of Vaishali Bhandwalkar.

Its aim is to create employment opportunities for women from marginalised communities, including those from nomadic and denotified tribes, Scheduled Castes and minority communities.The team visited around 30 to 35 settlements in Pune district and reached approximately 1,000 women. It subsequently selected 105 women for training. The programme has trained around 100 women, of whom nearly 75 have found professional driving jobs..Training includes road safety, technology and communicationThe programme goes beyond teaching women to operate a car.

According to an article in Loksatta written by Bhandwalkar, the training includes road rules, road safety, basic vehicle knowledge and responsible driving.Participants first practise on driving simulators before moving to actual driving lessons with experienced instructors. They also receive training in communication, interview preparation, personality development, digital literacy and using Google Maps.The programme includes sessions on gender equality, women's rights and relevant laws.

Nirman also assists women with the licences and documentation needed for professional driving and connects them with potential employers.From four-wheelers to heavy vehiclesThe initiative is also preparing women for opportunities beyond regular car driving. According to Bhandwalkar, ten women have completed heavy motor vehicle training for vehicles such as trucks, buses, lorries and dumpers, and obtained the necessary licences.

The programme is preparing them for potential employment in Europe. This includes basic English communication, interview preparation, documentation and visa-related guidance.Bhandwalkar told Hindustan Times that women who currently earn between ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 a month in India could potentially earn between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh abroad.For Jyoti, professional driving means being able to support her daughters' education and household expenses.

For Sulochana, it has meant turning a …