Circus performer turned empowered entrepreneur
Sajiya defied daunting odds and escaped the life of a child circus performer. Making use of skills learned during an Enterprise Your Life training course she has become an empowered entrepreneur.
A childhood in the circus
Sajiya, now 24 years old, grew up in a circus in Uttar Pradesh, India. Her father, who had dwarfism, spent 2 decades as a circus performer. Tragically, when her father passed away, Sajiya, at the tender age of 10, was thrust into the perilous world of circus stunts, performing life-threatening acts to support her family.
Sajiya’s life in the circus was fraught with danger as she performed daring stunts like riding a bicycle on rope and high-wire acrobatics. Each day, she faced the risk of accidents, but her family’s survival depended on her unwavering commitment.
A thirst for education
Despite her challenging circumstances, Sajiya’s thirst for education remained strong. However, due to financial constraints and the circus’s nomadic nature, she was unable to attend school. While it is illegal for children to work in Indian circuses, many, like Sajiya, continue to endure this plight.
After enduring 2 years of hardship, Sajiya’s mother made a courageous decision to escape the circus. They returned to their hometown in Makwanpur, Nepal, seeking refuge with her uncle. Here, at the age of 12, Sajiya’s dream of education began to take shape with the help of a local non-governmental organisation.
“Despite the challenges, I held onto a strong desire to pursue my studies when I saw other children of my age who were fortunate enough to go to school.”
Sajiya
There were challenges, Sajiya and her younger sister faced discrimination from their Hindu family due to their past in the circus and their father’s Indian Muslim heritage.
“Despite the challenges, I held onto a strong desire to pursue my studies when I saw other children of my age who were fortunate enough to go to school,” said Sajiya.
Sajiya continued her education until she decided to marry at 20, becoming a mother shortly after.
Empowerment through entrepreneurship
Facing discrimination in her new in-law’s family due to her intercultural marriage, Sajiya and her husband decided to live separately from their family. Struggling to make ends meet, Sajiya yearned to contribute to her family’s well-being.
Sajiya learned about the Enterprise Your Life (EYL) training offered by Plan International through the Prevention, Tracking, Education, and Transformation (ProTEcT) project from her friend Laxmi, also a circus returnee. With the support of the project team and local government, Sajiya embarked on an eight-day training programme with many aspects, including child protection, human trafficking, female empowerment, and business planning.
Motivated and empowered, Sajiya decided to start her own business. With guidance from the project team, she opened a grocery shop in her community, offering food items and a popular Nepali street snack. The project provided her with 40,000 rupees (USD 300) as seed capital to kickstart her business.
Sajiya’s grocery shop quickly became a success, generating a daily profit of around 5,000 rupees (USD 37). Her husband joined her in running the store, utilising his prior experience as a driver. Together, they started saving 500 rupees (USD 4) daily in a local cooperative and enrolled their daughter in a nearby school.
“The training programme became a significant turning point in my life. It provided me with valuable knowledge around different issues including human trafficking, sexual gender based violence, child protection, and the resilience of women in business.”
Sajiya
Looking ahead
Thanks to the EYL training, Sajiya gained the confidence to pursue her dreams, achieve economic independence, and ensure her family’s safety. She now aspires to create job opportunities for other women in her community, especially those who have faced discrimination similar to her own.
“The training programme became a significant turning point in my life. It provided me with valuable knowledge around different issues including human trafficking, sexual gender based violence, child protection, and the resilience of women in business,” shares Sajiya.
Sajiya’s transformation from a child circus performer to an empowered entrepreneur serves as an inspiration to others who have faced adversity, showing that determination and education can break the cycle of hardship.
Skills and work, Lifeskills training, Livelihoods, Vocational training
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