Shireen's story was shared on the 'Humans of Bombay' Facebook page.
The story of a woman auto rickshaw driver from Mumbai has left thousands touched after it was shared on the popular 'Humans of Bombay' Facebook page. The viral post tells the story of a woman - identified only by her first name, Shireen - who built her life up again after dealing with a broken marriage and losing her mother and her sister.
"I was born into a conservative and poor Muslim family," says Shireen in her Facebook post, going on to talk about the breakup of her parents' marriage when she was 11. After her mother remarried, she was taunted for it by a group of men, which eventually led to her committing suicide. After her mother's death, Shireen also lost her sister.
"I was shattered... I had lost the two people I'd loved the most. I was in a dark place - but when I got pregnant and my son came into this world, I had no choice but to move on, for him," she says.
However, she began to face problems in her own marriage, and her husband divorced her after the birth of their third child. "After the birth of my third child, he refused to take care of us," says Shireen, who was then forced to leave her home with her three children.
"I was left alone on the street, with 3 mouths to feed," she says.
Shireen's determination to rise over the obstacles life put in her led to her decision to drive an auto rickshaw - a profession traditionally dominated by men.
"I earned well, but a lot people harassed me - they'd abuse me, put me down, and doubt me simply because I'm a woman," says Shireen. She then goes on to talk about one passenger who called her "dabbang" - fearless - a word she says describes her well.
"That's what I know I am, and I want other women to know that they can be one too!" she says.
You can read her full post below:
Shireen's inspiring story of determination and resilience has touched a chord with netizens, who have flooded the comments section with good wishes for her.
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