When Sneha Bharti entered Pune’s Budhwar Peth during the COVID-19 pandemic to distribute ration, she encountered a reality that stayed with her. Children were growing up in cramped spaces, with no safe place to play or learn after evening. That visit became another turning point in the journey of the founder of Purnkuti, an organisation working to empower women and support vulnerable children through education, livelihood, and rehabilitation.
Sneha’s path into social work was far from conventional. She came from a finance background and spent years in the corporate sector, including at Morgan Stanley. “I have no formal background in social work; I was hard-core finance,” she told The Logical Indian. Her work involved operating in a highly male-dominated environment. “Often, I was the only woman there,” she recalled.
Despite professional success, she felt something was missing.
“I didn’t feel complete,” Sneha said. Even after finishing work by 3:30 PM, she found herself naturally drawn toward helping others with their problems. That pull gradually became impossible to ignore.
Rooted in Lived Realities
Being from Bihar shaped Sneha’s understanding of social inequity early on. She had closely witnessed how limited access to education and resources pushed families towards migration in search of better opportunities.
She began to see women’s empowerment as central to long-term change. “If we empower women, they will prioritise their children’s health and education,” she explained in conversation with The Logical Indian.
This belief became the foundation of Purnkuti.
The organisation’s name itself reflects its philosophy. Its logo features a heart representing a hut and a bindi symbolising a woman as a nurturer. “Purn” refers to the leaves used to build a hut, while “Kuti” means cottage or shelter. Together, the name represents a safe space where a woman feels empowered and her family feels secure.
Building Opportunities in Bihar
In 2011, Purnkuti began one of its earliest initiatives by establishing Waterly Public School in a remote region around 80 kilometres from Patna.
The goal was clear: provide rural children access to quality education and wider exposure so that migration would not become their only path to progress.
Alongside the school, Sneha launched the Dhara Project, focused on women’s economic empowerment.
Rather than introducing entirely new skills, the project built on what women already knew. Many were skilled in stitching, embroidery, Sindhi work, and patch-work. Sneha used her corporate experience to create market access for these products. She helped register them on Amazon and Flipkart and also organised corporate exhibitions to expand sales opportunities.
This approach allowed women to convert existing abilities into income-generating work.
Taking the Leap
For years, Sneha balanced social work with her corporate career, funding projects largely through her own salary and support from friends.
In 2016, she made a defining decision.
She left her finance career and committed herself fully to Purnkuti.
The transition came with uncertainty, but it also allowed her to deepen and expand the organisation’s work.
After moving to Pune, Sneha identified another underserved community: migrant construction workers and their families.
Their children often struggled in formal schools because of language barriers and learning gaps. In response, Purnkuti launched the Manusakha Project, which offered remedial education in Marathi, English, and Mathematics to help children integrate into mainstream schooling.
Working in Budhwar Peth
Purnkuti’s work expanded significantly during the pandemic.
When Sneha visited Budhwar Peth to distribute ration, she noticed not only economic hardship but also the absence of safe spaces for children. Many had nowhere to go after 5 PM.
She began by engaging children in a nearby temple.
What started as a small intervention soon grew into structured programming. An unexpected partnership accelerated this process when Price Waterhouse Coopers reached out to Purnkuti.
The support helped establish a centre in the red light area and strengthened the organisation’s systems, including documentation, hiring, and data management.
Today, Purnkuti runs the Manusakha programme for children in the area and extends the Dhara programme to sex workers, HIV-positive individuals, and single mothers.
Challenges and Conviction
Sneha acknowledges that the journey has not been easy.
While she had strong support from her husband and family, safety remained a concern, especially while working in the red light district where police raids occurred regularly.
Still, she found support from law enforcement as well.
“The police were very helpful because they saw I was working alone for a cause,” she shared.
Another challenge came from entering the social sector without an established network. Unlike many founders who begin with sectoral connections, Sneha had to build relationships and credibility from the ground up.
That made the journey slower, but also deeply meaningful.
Her decision-making, she says, is anchored in purpose rather than pressure. Passion allows her to navigate difficult choices with clarity.
Creating Entrepreneurs, Not Dependence
Sneha is clear about what real empowerment means.
Her goal is not simply to train women in skills but to help them build independent livelihoods.
“Our goal is to create entrepreneurs, not just skilled workers,” she said.
That vision has already translated into tangible change. Purnkuti has helped 40 women leave sex work and start small businesses such as beauty parlours and catering ventures.
Mental health remains central to this process.
“You cannot teach skills to someone who doesn’t feel safe or empowered,” Sneha explained.
This emphasis reflects Purnkuti’s larger philosophy: rehabilitation is not only about income. It is also about dignity, confidence, and emotional safety.
Sneha intentionally prioritises depth over scale.
“We prefer impactful, deep-level work over high numbers,” she said.
For her, transformation cannot always be measured by reach alone. Sometimes, the most meaningful impact is visible in a single moment of confidence and self-belief.
“Even if it’s just one woman standing in a corporate house like Bloomberg to sell her products, that is real empowerment.”
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Sneha Bharti’s journey highlights how meaningful social change often emerges from deeply personal conviction rather than formal training. Her transition from finance to grassroots work also challenges the idea that social impact must follow a conventional path. Through Purnkuti, she has built spaces where education, livelihood, mental well-being, and dignity intersect.
Her work underscores an important truth: sustainable empowerment begins when people are not only supported but also trusted to rebuild their own futures.
Can empowering even one woman to reclaim dignity and independence inspire wider community transformation?
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