Chennai: When Pachiyammal E, 40, walked away from an abusive marriage three years ago, she wanted to build a safe future for herself and her children. As a domestic worker at the time, she struggled persistently to keep the household running. All that is behind her now.“After leaving my alcoholic husband, I started working as a driver for an IT company. I have now managed to create a space where we all feel safe,” she said. Today, she owns her own car and supports her children’s education.Pachiyammal is one of thousands of women whose lives have changed through Chennai-based non-profit Anew Foundation, which has spent nearly three decades equipping underprivileged women with livelihood skills while also supporting survivors of domestic violence. Founded in 1997, the organisation has trained more than 18,000 women through free programmes in driving, IT and home nursing.Its car driving programme, launched in 2003, has trained more than 1,000 women, many of whom now work as independent drivers or with companies. Anu Chandran, chairperson of Anew Foundation, said the organisation gradually realised that financial independence alone was not enough for many women who came to them.“Over time, we realised many of our beneficiaries were survivors of domestic violence. That led us to introduce counselling as an integral part of our programme,” she said. While the foundation does not provide direct financial aid for survivors, it offers regular counselling sessions and referrals to mental health professionals and organisations such as SCARF.“Driving has enabled many women to earn ₹40,000 to ₹50,000 a month while balancing childcare and household responsibilities, with several former autorickshaw drivers eventually purchasing taxis of their own,” Anu said.Many of Anew’s beneficiaries are single mothers who turn to the foundation after abusive marriages or financial hardship. Among them is Kanchana Rakesh, 38, who has been driving for the past 13 years. After working as a security guard and cashier, she found driving offered better earnings and flexibility. Today, she earns around ₹50,000 a month driving for IT companies and owns her vehicle, with plans to expand into a cab service of her own. “Driving helped me educate my daughter in an English-medium school and college. Through my driving, my children have secured a good life, and that’s enough for me,” she said.
