Orphan to Sustainability Warrior: Shailini Sheth Amin’s Journey”

Coming from her own journey as an orphaned child in Mumbai to an award-winning sustainability warrior ‘Fit In, Stand Out, Walk: Stories from a Pushed Away Hill’ by Shailini Sheth Amin is a collection of heartfelt stories told through Neelima’s eyes taking through her life’s ups and downs and striving to find her footing in a world that’s always changing. From nothing to inherit and no one to inherit from, these stories share the grit and conviction of women to build their own legacy and pass on more than the material wealth.

In this anthology, her tale inspires all, even those facing their toughest moments, leaving a lasting impact on the power of relationships, love, and grief. With a unique and fresh perspective and a personal voice, Fit In, Stand Out, Walk is perhaps a meaningful contribution to women’s storytelling literature which delves into topics such as identity, isolation, and survival, crafting a rich narrative that spans across generations and geographical boundaries.

Shailini, a versatile professional with a background in architecture, community projects, and finance, focuses on promoting energy efficiency, sustainable practices, and heritage conservation. She advocates for sustainability, Fair Trade, and crafts through her writings and social media presence. As the Founder and Senior Partner of MORALFIBRE, she leads impactful initiatives in these areas.

Given your life experience, where do you draw this tremendous strength to overcome challenges?

Thank you. I am not sure.

Losing my mother at the age of nine was devastating. I felt adrift, as if a vital part of myself had been torn away. The pain was overwhelming, but I found myself unable to express it. Instead, I buried my grief deep inside, putting on a facade of normalcy to cope with the turmoil within. At school and in public, I pretended as if nothing had changed, hiding my inner turmoil behind a mask of stoicism.

In retrospect, I realize that this coping mechanism was born out of fear and uncertainty. I didn’t have the understanding or courage to open up to others about my pain, and I felt a profound sense of guilt, as if I were somehow responsible for the tragedy that had befallen my family. So, I chose to bury my feelings, pretending that everything was fine even when it wasn’t.

However, this experience also taught me resilience. By facing my challenges alone and finding ways to cope with them independently, I developed a strength that would serve me well in the years to come. I learned to confront adversity head-on, drawing upon the lessons of my past to navigate the obstacles that lay ahead.

You were orphaned as a child and today you are a mother to 3 children, did your early life experience pose as a parenting challenge ever?

I have my own daughter and two step children and all of us are close. When my daughter was born, my biggest pain and sorrow was that I could not put my daughter in my mother’s lap and share the deep connection. With a joy of me becoming a mother, I missed my mother I have lost when I was a young girl and not having her by my side.

In spite of not having a mother I had a wonderful and well nurtured childhood and I drew a lot from those experiences. When my daughter was in her teens, and like many, there was a phase when we could not communicate well, I really doubted my capabilities of being a good mother! It was her time to grow and interpret her world in her own way. But that gave me sleepless nights and I could not help but feeling out of breath!

Your life story becomes more inspiring because you decided to take on work much later in life and founded a company and today you are a noted sustainability warrior, how did you decide on this line of career and why?

At the tender age of nine, I faced the profound loss of my mother to cancer. Thankfully, my dear aunt, Masi Indumatiben, embraced me as her own, becoming not just a guardian but a guiding light in my life. Raised in a household steeped in Khadi and women’s empowerment, her influence shaped my values and aspirations.

My journey took me to England, where I immersed myself in its culture and lifestyle. As an architect specializing in energy efficiency and sustainable practices, I gained a unique perspective on the international textile chain. This dual perspective, from both producer and consumer angles, fueled my passion for reinventing and reviving traditional handcrafted fabrics upon my return to India.

In 2012, I founded MORALFIBRE, a social enterprise dedicated to promoting Khadi and other handcrafted textiles. Unlike conventional businesses, we don’t own factories; instead, we empower independent artisan groups, fostering economic independence and preserving cultural heritage. Our fabrics, crafted within 250 kilometers of Ahmedabad, are produced using traditional methods, without electricity, by skilled hand spinners and weavers.

4) How do your children view you as a single mother who came out and talked about her toxic marriage?

It is not easy. They all are grown up now and happily involved with their family and work. I am very conscious of respecting their privacy and their individual preference. All names of my close family in the book are changed. They accept that it is my life. It is up to them. Other members of my family have received my book well and I am extremely grateful for that.

What advice would you give to young women of today who have a lot more opportunities and freedom and yet bigger challenges?

I am not the one to give advice to anyone!

The book delves into the harsh realities faced by women whose ambitions are stifled by dominant individuals within their families or communities. These women, whether pursuing careers or fulfilling personal aspirations, often encounter resistance in the form of fear, emotional manipulation, and outright bullying. Even if they manage to overcome these internal obstacles and succeed, their achievements may be undervalued and unappreciated.

Beyond internal struggles, women also contend with external forces such as migration, isolation, depression, and relationship abuse. Against the backdrop of growing wokeism and victimhood cultures, the protagonist, Neelima, navigates these challenges in her quest for self-discovery and a sense of moral fiber. Her journey reflects themes of self-determination, survival, and striving for a greater purpose.

Through Neelima’s story, the book aims to shed light on these societal issues and spark conversations about self-awareness and empowerment. It portrays a narrative rich in joy, humor, pain, and courage, inviting readers to find echoes of their own experiences within its pages. Ultimately, the hope is that the book fosters greater awareness and dialogue, inspiring readers to embark on their own journeys of self-searching and realization.