What Makes Dr. Soni Singh A True Embodiment Of Inspiration ?

• ByAyushi Ray     |    August 4, 2021

“Every end is a new beginning.This is my inspiration in life, “ says Dr. Soni Singh a doctor, a social worker to the Startup Story in a heartfelt interview.

Education 

Dr. Singh  has  done her BDS from Saraswati Dental Lucknow. Then she started practice, took up a job with NHM. For that she had to go for health checkups of young girls in various schools. . Pursued a course on Public Health Management from NIHFW, New Delhi. “While doing this job,” she explains “I wanted to help people in other ways. When I met children in school, they were lacking a lot of basic facilities like proper toilets and sanitary napkins.” So to help the cause she started conducting menstrual hygiene sessions with them. First she did it independently, and then she joined Inner Wheel Club, and she started working as an organization and created motivation and scope for other people to join.  She became President of the club in 2018-19.

Ushering In The Change

She motivated the girls by organising competitions in various sectors such as-  Art, Mehendi. Then Sanitary napkin distribution was a huge agenda as well. “I collaborated with brands such as – Rejoice, which is based in Delhi,” she says “Mission Shakti” programme started last year, 2020 and Soni Singh was nominated for motivational talks. Apart from giving the girls hygienic products, she would also inspire them by a three fold talk – Samman, Swawlamban, Suraksha. Girls who came in session would take away the kind of skills they need to learn to be successful in life,  teach them defense skills and were also equipped with pepper spray for self defense.

Dr. Singh is also associated with other organisations such as Rotary Club – she is Vice President at the moment nominated for President. She also works with Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Snatak Sangh. They promote training for self-employement like Mushroom cultivation and farming so that everybody gets equal  job opportunities. She has also joined Bharat-Tibet Samanvay Sangh, and they are working for freedom of Tibet.

About Herself

Dr. Singh  has two children of her own, thus it becomes increasingly difficult to manage everything. But with her family support and her willpower and wish to do something for the children and women out there, she manages time for everything – seeing patients and working for  rural people. “My mother says don’t feel guilty that you cannot be there for your children. ” Apart from that, she has an amazing support system in the form of friends who get together in a while and raise money which get donated to schools.

Her Ideals

“I always wanted to do social work, but it is difficult to do it alone, but with a group of like minded people it becomes easier. ” She also takes ideas from people around her and tries to implement them. Dr. Singh donated sewing machines last year. She doesn’t want to spend money on parties and get together. She would rather donate to an orphanage or any organisation through which 100 other people will benefit. On her own anniversary and her kids’ birthday she donated money to these organisations.

Menstruation – Still A Taboo ?

“Things have changed a lot, but taboo is still associated. Girls are not really free to talk about this. When I talk at a stretch for half an hour, they then start opening up. ” Singh shares. It is a difficult thing to inject in, but the good news is that things are slowly changing.  She is getting girls to open up, and explaining to them how it is a biological function and nothing to be afraid and ashamed of. She wants them to be open about such issues,  that would ensure the true change in the society.

As A Covid’s Front-line Worker

During the second wave of Covid, we got infected ourselves, but when people called in to ask advice, we : me and my husband (her husband is a doctor as well.) would help them in the best possible way round the clock. India’s rural healthcare system is still lagging behind , according to Dr  Singh. A lot of things needs to be advanced, and there are of course no such trained professionals. All the health care workers, are working round the clock in the best possible way with the available resources but are overburdened and can only manage a small bit, given the vast population.

Future Plans

Dr. Singh has started a healthcare company, and she is the director. She has plans to continue with her menstrual hygiene awareness programmes, and  along with it, provide free health check up camps, in all interior areas. Particularly girls from orthodox families and Madrasas, it is difficult to open up, and she is trying her best to invade that zone. Basically, she wants to provide the best hygienic and health care too. She tells the story of a child, who was overwhelmed by getting to sit on a proper bench.

Word Of Inspiration –

“Life is difficult, but for a woman it becomes 10 times more difficult to deal with the world. There are people who pull you down by calling names, and badmouthing. It is difficult to do something good on your own terms being a woman. You should learn to fight, survive, and listen to their instinct and heart.” Dr. Soni Singh

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