"This project is about a group of women in India, the problems they have had to face, and those who have had immense power and courage to get over problems in their life," Mannaerts told Scroll.in. "In so many countries, women face a lot more problems than men. When you see women in Africa and even in Europe you see that. I wanted to focus on women here because there are so many interesting stories to tell but also show that things are changing, the mindset when it comes to women is changing."
Lower-caste women and former manual scavengers who worked for petty wages learning beauty culture, stitching, and how to sell textile products in Alwar and Tonk, in Rajasthan. This helps them battle class prejudice more effectively.
Sheela takes care of educating 22 mentally challenged adolescents in a small house in Varanasi. She aims to make them independent and to get their parents and the neighbourhood to treat them with more understanding.
Manju and her husband founded an association in Varanasi called Guria to fight sexual exploitation of women and young girls. They work to prevent hazards faced by sex workers and to rescue prisoners of brothels.
The Hindu widows of Varanasi have been much written about but their are still fighting for respect and acceptance in society. Now they have started to participate in religious festivities, something that was previously forbidden.
Laxmi, Ritu, Rupa and Sonia, who suffered acid attacks, formed support networks for others like them. They don't call themselves 'victims’, but prefer the term ‘fighters’.
Abheena was born male but always felt feminine. She fought indifference, rejection and condemnation. She asked to be included in Mannaerts' project as a woman.
