Bengaluru, 8 March

Working as a domestic helper isn't a walk in the park, but for 46-year-old Abeeda, it's the lifeline for providing sustenance and education to her two daughters.

Every morning at 7, she embarks on her routine, walking on Thimmaiah Road and tending to six households, juggling cleaning and cooking duties. Her day ends at 8 pm. “I was just 19 when I married with hopes of a better life. But my husband's battle with alcoholism turned my life upside down. Domestic work became my only refuge,” she said.

Abeeda is the sole breadwinner and earns up to Rs 20,000 per month. “Every day my hands feel like they would fall off. Yet I push on, to fulfil my eldest daughter's dream of being a doctor.” Abeeda said as a child she wanted to be a teacher but now it feels like a distant memory. Abeeda was surprised to know about International Women’s Day. “Just one day is not enough to celebrate a woman’s strength,” she said.