Jayasudha

jayasudha

Battery Shop Associate,
Ola Futurefactory

“As a kid, I dreaded language classes because there, we were asked to write essays about our families. And what would I write? I didn’t even know what a family meant. My parents separated when I was just a baby; neither of them was keen on raising me. But when Appa said, ‘I can’t afford to raise her,’ and disappeared from our lives, Amma half-heartedly took up my responsibility.

"But she reminded me of how big a burden I was every day-I was made to feel guilty about every meal I ate."

I started skipping meals and going to bed hungry often—in my mind, hunger was better than bearing the guilt of being a burden. I’d dream of the day I’d start earning and build a new life. And that became my driving force—I wanted to be well-educated. But according to Amma, education was something I had no right to because I was a girl. That’s when my brother supported me; he convinced Amma to let me study in a government school for free. That’s how I completed my schooling and then I went on to complete my diploma. I couldn’t wait to find a job…

And luckily, I found my first job shortly after—it was at Ola.

Initially, I thought having a job would make me feel independent and in charge of my own life. And it did happen. But in my very first week, I got the feeling that it was going to be so much more.

As I started getting to know my colleagues, I realised how similar our stories were — each one of us had braved the odds to be where we were and an invisible bond formed between us. Everyone made me feel so welcome and so at home. Soon, between team lunches, inside jokes, and lots of conversation, I found a family. At 20, I finally understood the meaning of family…

And this new family helped me understand the ropes at work quickly enough, as if I was born for it. I started excelling at work and for the first time in my life, I felt confident.

I’ve brought this confident Jayasudha back home, trying hard to slowly change Amma’s view on girls. Although there's still a long way to go, a tiffin waiting for me every morning makes me feel hopeful. Now, there’s one thing I’m certain of—I’m no longer a burden on anyone… Instead, I’m a provider.

"Today, I eat every morsel to my heart’s content, knowing I had a hand in putting that food on our table!”"