Meet Sanjana Tiwari: A Transwoman Who Juggles Many Roles; An Auto Driver And A Devoted Social Worker For Years

Every morning, Tiwari leaves for her office, ‘Deepshikha Organisation’ in her own auto. The 40-year-old works as an online virtual counsellor for the LGBTQIA+ community. As the community leader, Tiwari ensures that no transgender person from her community faces discrimination or encounters mental and sexual health problems. For easy access, Sanjana is always connected to members of her community via call and messages. Tiwari is a social worker by day and an auto driver by evening.

"Every time my auto stops at the red light, beggars from my community are surprised to see me drive. I can see the shame in their eyes realising that I am making a living by driving an auto while they keep begging around the streets all day," said Sanjana Tiwari.

"I have been there, trans women end up selling their bodies when there is no work, no house to live in, nothing to eat. Above all, there is a risk of getting infected. Today, I work for other trans women in society so that they don't put their lives at risk. I try to connect them to not just our NGO but those across the city so that they have easy access to our medical and mental health services,” she shared. I could feel her voice tearing up.

Driving Change, One Day At A Time

Tiwari also takes the onus of those diagnosed with HIV in her community. She immediately tries to get them connected to ICTC (Integrated Counseling and Testing Center) where they are tested for STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) and given medicines. She assists elderly members of the society so that they get their pensions on time.

"Condom promotion is my priority. I urge all the members connected with me in the community to use condoms. I make them understand how they put their lives at risk when not using condoms while having sex. I further make them aware of the consequences of getting HIV positive and how it puts their families and loved ones at risk,” said Sanjana.

There is more to what Sanjana Tiwari does. Other than doing her 9-5 job, she heads out to help trans women working as sex workers due to lack of jobs. "I go to parties and lounges where I meet trans women who get into sex work forcefully due to lack of jobs. I speak to them and try to figure out if they can be referred for any job profiles based on their skills."

Sanjana Tiwari’s Journey From Struggle To Strength

Tiwari was once a sex worker to make ends meet. While in that phase, she underwent multiple physical and mental challenges and today she wants no one from her community to bear them.

A broken family, lack of adequate finances to run the house, and other responsibilities made Tiwari step into sex work. To bring home some money to support her mother, she started working in a factory and later got into plays. Unfortunately, she always ended up being sexually assaulted by her employers.

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Her siblings were soon of marriageable age and the family was in dire need of money. She then forcefully got into sex work at a young age. It was only after a few years that she met someone from the Deepshikha organisation who made her realise that she was at high risk of deadly diseases like HIV.

Years later today, Tiwari tries to be around the hotspots of her area (red-light areas). During this time she distributes condoms to sex workers (Empowering Sex Workers To Building Toilets, A Look At Padma Bhushan 2023 Awardee Sudha Murty's Work) and makes them understand how the contraceptive will help them save their lives.

Social Worker By Day And An Auto Driver By Evening

"After my full-time job at the NGO, I get on the roads with my auto to earn some money because my income isn't enough to meet my monthly expenses. I earn about ₹1000 to 2000 and then head back home,” shared Sanjana.

Sanjana was 20-years-old when she started driving an auto in the national capital. Today, she takes immense pride in her work, she does her bit by supporting sex workers and other vulnerable members of her community through her work and also earns a livelihood in a dignified way.

Sanjana’s Unwavering Zeal To Make This World Equal, Happy, And Safe

Despite putting relentless efforts to get jobs for people of her community, she often fails. Tiwari feels that it is a discrimination towards the trans community that there is a lack of jobs for them.

"Today, no member of the trans community wishes to get into trans begging or hijra groups to earn money. They want to learn some skills to get a job but it isn't that easy. The discrimination doesn't seem to end," she said.

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Currently, Tiwari is working along with her NGO to build sewing centres and parlours for the trans community. These centres will first act as training institutes and then open for the public via which the members will be able to earn their livelihood.

"I want to support members of my community so that they don't have to beg. I want all trans people to be strong and skilled enough to earn a livelihood on their own,” said Tiwari.

This Navratri, we are honouring women, as embodiments of Shakti through our campaign ‘Shakti Rupen Samsthita’, we celebrate Sanjana Tiwari and her remarkable efforts to make this world a safe and equal safe for the trans community. Sanjana's story is just one of the many inspiring tales we bring you this Navratri, click here to read more such stories.