Mithila painting, more commonly known as Madhubani painting, is an art form that has existed in the Jitwarpur village of Bihar for generations. This form of art, which was once considered nothing more than part of a woman’s household chores has today turned into a way for these women to attain financial security.

To help the women of Jitwarpur strive for a safer economic future, Sangeeta Devi along with a few other women of her village set up the Kamla Self Help Group.

Originally started with the sole purpose of putting together their savings, the SHG slowly evolved into a platform for the women to showcase their talent.

They began bringing their paintings to life on canvas with colors they made by hand, depicting the scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. They would then sell these paintings, the money they earned going towards funding their children’s education.

But after the onset of COVID-19, the future full of economic stability that once seemed so close is again slipping out of their hands.

To them, it feels as if all the effort they had put in to provide their children with a better life has gone to waste.