In a moment that blended heartbreak with hope, two tribal widows, Mayadevi (26) and Phooladevi (50), were presented with commercial sewing machines to help rebuild their lives after an unspeakable tragedy.

Their husbands, Raju Dhurve and Hari Dhurve, were brutally killed in a communal clash during Holi in 2022. The two men had gone unarmed to a neighbouring village, dominated by a minority community, to seek justice for an earlier attack on Holi revellers. Instead, they were ambushed: Raju was shot, and Hari was crushed under a tractor. The incident, though horrifying, received little attention from mainstream media.

At the Sanvidhan Gaurav Samman event held in Silwani block of Raisen district, Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation stepped in to support the widows’ futures. In the presence of Madhya Pradesh Governor Shri Mangubhai Patel and National Human Rights Commission Member Shri Priyank Kanoongo, the foundation gifted the women sewing machines, an important step toward self-reliance.

“This was deeply emotional for me,” said Swati Goel Sharma, journalist and founder of Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation. “These women have endured unimaginable loss, yet their spirit hasn’t broken. Our small support is a promise that their pain is seen and their resilience honoured.”

The foundation continues its mission to uplift survivors of violence, especially those from Dalit, tribal, and marginalised communities who are often overlooked or unheard in the broader narrative. Through practical, dignity-focused initiatives like these, it seeks to restore hope, one life at a time.