Rajput Mothers Foundation: a localised approach to uplifting women
- bey0ndM@gz!ne
- January 29, 2021
- People-Perspective
- 0 Comments
“Working together towards a common vision can generate the ability to influence thought and action and mobilise people at large for social good.”
Such are the words which influence a young persona, Rachna Rathore, who is a role model and source of inspiration to many women and young ladies across her area of work.
A qualified educator, philanthropist and mother, Rachna has been living in Hong Kong for the past 14 years. Since her graduation from Hong Kong University, she has been engaged in various public interest roles. She is an active member of the Hong Kong community, and a member of various local communities, where she provides an open door policy for all her students and mentees.
Originally from India, Rachna started her charitable initiative to uplift women throughout the subcontinent. Being based in Hong Kong has not halted her drive and desire to give back to the community. For several years, Rachna glimpsed into the lives of professional, working women, and inferred the lack of a common platform that unifies them. The scattered format of the existing network structures largely accounted for their limited networking potential.
In order to bridge the gap between different networks of women, Rachna formulated an establishment known as the Rajput Mothers Foundation, popularly known as RAMG, which proudly celebrates sisterhood. RAMG started with being a small Facebook group of women in the Rajput community based in India and from all walks of life that came together to support the professional pursuits and endeavours of one another.
The foundation seeks to increase access to education and resources by the implementation of educational and talent campaigns to reach a wider audience. In each of the different cities it operates in, great pains are taken to localise the programs to fit the individual needs of each specific community or city. A significant step taken by RAMG to promote creative entrepreneurship has been the ‘ART 10’ programme, a prestigious event that recognises several artists and painters in the Rajput community. The pilot season of ART 10 kicked off in Jaipur, under the gracious patronage of Rajmata Sahiba Padmini Deviji of Jaipur (India), as its chief guest.
Apart from being a highly successful event, it also provided a platform for two artists, namely, Himantika Kumari and Devyani Rathore to gain showcasing access at Harvard University. Following this, in 2018, RAMG organised a cultural event called ‘Maruni’ in Jodhpur, which was presided over by Maharani Sahiba Hemlata Raje of Jodhpur (India). The Maruni event was the first of its kind in the city to exclusively exhibit women and their various creative talents and innovative ideas towards positive social change. Collections from this event were donated for the education of underprivileged Rajput girls.
ART 10 and Maruni highlight only two out of RAMG’s twelve national chapters- and counting. Rachna and RAMG directs a significant amount of energy to create tailor-made programs that cater to the specific profiles of its respective chapters. Its overarching motives as an organisation have facilitated broad-based education and talent campaigns, enabling increased local access to learning and developmental resources.
The Delhi, Mumbai, and Gujarat chapters have been triumphant in running educational programs for young girls. In the remote villages of Rajasthan and Gujarat, there have been numerous initiations of medical and educational camps, which have been embraced by the local communities.
Today RAMG is comprised of over 10,000 members, who are all committed to supporting, encouraging, and empowering women in various cities across India as well as the United States, United Kingdom, and South-East Asia. Operating on a democratic basis, every member of the organisation is encouraged to take on a leadership role, allowing for greater female agency and mobility. The hard work and dedication put in by the members has enabled RAMG to catapult to international success. The team shows up, despite the emotional and physical toll that our line of work creates. Each of them do it to support the overarching cause and mission, for the people of the community, for equality and for the society at large. “My team inspires me to be better and do better,” said Rachna.
In addition to the Rajput Mothers Foundation, Rachna has worked for 12 years as an educator in Hong Kong and has developed a strong nexus
with Hong Kong and China, which has derived from working for over a decade with the local community. Her teaching and management experience has equipped her with insights into the needs of international students, as well as providing a full scope into the interests of their families and the Hong Kong culture. She has also enabled parents to embrace the opportunities that Hong Kong provides, including participating in local community based and government initiatives.
She recently initiated another venture, The Golden Pass, which is a documentary film showcasing the connection between India and China through films, culture and education. Rachna has produced and directed this film along with a team of 10 Chinese and Indian students. The primary aim of this documentary is to use the power of cinematic experience to bring together these two unique countries by highlighting and showcasing their cultural and historic similarities, and the emergence of Cultural integrations, as demonstrated by the widespread popularity of Bollywood films, which have been highly acclaimed for empowering social change.
A strong believer in working for and serving the community, wherever they might be located, Rachna considers it her responsibility to empower them in terms of education, decision making and better health. Charity begins at home, but it is the individual and their contribution to society which makes all the difference. Rachna Rathore stands as a perfect example for many to uplift and revive the community.
