Action Fund

Rajalakshmi knew the challenges facing her community in Chennai, India. She lived them. About eight years ago, she and her family were kicked out of their homes to make way for a road construction project. Pushed to the outskirts of the city, they were cut off from public services. When she hurt her leg, she wasn’t able to get the care she needed because there were no nearby hospitals. She had to walk more than half a mile just to get to the nearest water tank and carry water back to her house. And she didn’t always feel safe walking at night, with few street lights and dangerous drivers.

She connected with a group of young women supported by ActionAid, and together they took action. They brought their demands to a local official but when they arrived, Rajalakshmi said, “He just invited us to sit down,” a dismissal of their concerns. “We said we had not come to sit down. We want our problem solved.”

The young activists kept pushing, following up again and again.

Because of their advocacy, their community is stronger today. There’s a new hospital in their area, along with water systems, street lights, traffic lights, and speed bumps – public services that make the city safer and more accessible for young women like Rajalakshmi.

Thank you for supporting local change-makers like Rajalakshmi.

“If one person claps with one hand, do you hear a sound? In the same way, if I go alone, no one will hear me, but if we all go, we are heard,” Rajalakshmi explained.

Together, we're making a real difference. Thank you for coming together this holiday season to ensure that young women leaders around the world are heard.

P.S. Check out this video to hear Rajalakshmi tell her story in her own words, and to learn about the young women leaders across India who are rising up with your support!