In 2012, I boarded a flight to India, leaving behind a 20-year career in London's television industry. What I found when I arrived was more than just a destination - it was a profound connection. India captivated me instantly. Over the next five years, I returned eight times, spending over a year living across its vast landscapes - from the tranquil backwaters of Kerala to the colonial charm of Pondicherry, and the rugged Himalayan villages of Ladakh.
But amid all the beauty, there was something I couldn’t unsee: the street children. Their presence etched itself into every trip I took. And it was the girls - often invisible, unheard, and forgotten by a system not built for them - who had the hardest stories.
During one visit to Goa, driven to understand more, I made a short film with a young man named Raju. He had grown up on the streets raising his younger sisters and brothers. His resilience was heartbreaking and heroic. You can watch his story here:
Later, when my Co-Founder and I launched ShaktiMat GmbH, our mission went beyond building a company - we wanted to build a safe haven.
In our all-women factory in Varanasi, we heard from young women whose lives, though not spent on the streets, bore the heavy burden of societal expectation. Many had been married off young, destined for a life of domestic servitude, isolation, and in some cases, abuse. In deeply traditional parts of rural India, the future for a poor girl can be heartbreakingly limited.
That’s when we understood: empowering women in the present wasn’t enough. We had to invest in the next generation.
When we spoke to our artisans about their dreams, their answers were unanimous: "I want my daughter to have a better life than I did."
And so, in 2019, we launched Shakti Rising - a long-term education programme to send the daughters of our crafts-women to private school, with full funding committed until they turn 18. Every girl receives tuition, books, uniforms, transport - everything she needs to thrive.
The first girl we enrolled was Sanjivani, just 7 years old at the time. Today, she’s 13 - thriving in the senior school, excelling in maths and physics, and dreaming of becoming a scientist.
Since then, 26 girls have joined our programme in Varanasi - including Tamanna, Nainsi, Surabhi, Priya, Pooja, and Nancy.
As Shakti grew, so did our reach. In 2024, we partnered with the Kishor factory in Ranchi, founded by the visionary Sneh Lata Agarwal and her husband. Their commitment to female empowerment mirrors our own - over 85% of Kishor’s 2,000+ workforce are women, each with access to financial literacy, training, and independence.
Having planted deep roots in Varanasi, we knew it was time to bring Shakti Rising to Ranchi. In March 2025, I travelled there to begin this new chapter.
The first step was to find a reputable school in the area. After much research and many school visits, we have now partnered with the Mount Carmel School, one of the top private schools in the area, to create a dedicated education pipeline for our school girls.
To support one girl through to graduation, including all her needs - tuition, books, uniforms, transport - we need to raise around €4,000, depending on her age. Every euro invested is a vote of confidence in her future, a step towards breaking the cycle.
With so many women working at Kishor, we made a deliberate and deeply personal decision: to focus on the next phase of Shakti Rising on supporting single mothers. These are women who are not only earning a living under incredibly challenging circumstances, but doing so while carrying the full weight of parenthood alone. Many have lost their husbands to illness or tragic accidents, and are left to raise their children by themselves.
We are currently identifying the first mothers and daughters who will become part of this new journey. The transformation we’ve seen in Varanasi gives us immense hope for what lies ahead in Ranchi.
Everything is now in place to change the trajectory of some extraordinary young lives. The foundation is built. The dream is alive. Now it's time to get started.
Become part of the movement and support the Shakti Rising Programme with a donation on the checkout page.
About the author
Glynn Ryland is the Co-Founder and CEO of ShaktiMat GmbH, a social impact company dedicated to empowering women in India and sharing the benefits of acupressure worldwide. Previously, he spent two decades in global media with senior creative roles at Universal Studios Networks, NBC, ITV, MTV, and the BBC, while also pioneering access programmes like Channel 4’s award-winning 4Talent. Five years of nomadic travel exploring yoga, meditation, and holistic living ultimately led him to discover the Shakti Mat - and turn it into his life’s work.
