Every stone they lift and every road they help lay is not only a lifeline for remote border villages but also a strategic asset for nation building.

High in the rugged Himalayas, where temperatures often dip below –20°C and altitudes soar beyond 15,000 feet, nine Tibetan refugee women represent resilience, sacrifice, standing shoulder to shoulder with men in the service of the nation.

Employed as part of 763 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) of Project Vartak, these women support nearly 50 dependents through their earnings. What began as an opportunity for livelihood has become a journey of dignity and transformation, a proof that empowering even a handful of women uplifts entire families and communities.

Traditionally, construction and high-altitude manual labour were seen as men’s work.

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