TUCKED away in the flat valley of
Dalma hills in East Singhbhum
Patna district, Bihar, lies the village of
B I H A R Pagda. Although only 20 km.
away from the steel city of
shedpur, it had remained
jamPat
impoverished and underdeveloped until five years ago. Pagda
today, however, tells a different
story; so do 65 other villages of
the Patmada block where the Shramajivi Mahila Sarniti (sms),
an unit of a local NGO Shramajivi Unnayan, is carrying on participatory development, besides fighting social evils since
1988.
The village samiti, representing all
the households of the village, is the
smallest unit of the organisation. A
panchayat samiti, having two members
from each village sarmiti, coordinates
the activities of all village samitis. The
cential body of the sms, comprising of
one member from each panchaytif
samiti, is entrusted with the task of
running the programme. Over the
years, the women have achieved something they are proud of-, not only have
they successfully resisted the atrocities
committed on them, but they have also
run constructive programmes of literacy, health and incorric-generation.
One notable front on which the sms
dowry. Last year,
has been fighting is
immediately after her marriage, Aloma
of Kuini village was sent back to her
parents for not bringing adequate 'Sundra Mahato tends her
vegetable field in Kandih
dowry. The village mahila samiti
organised a meeting of the panchayat which passed a stricture
against her in-laws, forcing her husband to take her back.
"Now they live happily," informs Kunti Mahato, the samiti
treasurer.
The motivation has extended to the women managing
their own centres for adult education and health care. So far,
the sms has established 10 centres for adult education and 8
health centres. Conducted by an anudeshika (instructress), the
adult education centres work after sunset. The menfolk, on
their part, see a practical purpose behind female literacy.
"Village traders won't be able to cheat our women once they
are literate," says Surendra Mahato of Kandih village.
The health centres too have made a major impact on the
women's living conditions. "Because women receive a timely
and proper health care now, they don't have to depend on
their husbands, especially during and just after pregnancy,"
says Adomani Devi of Pagda.
Organised in groups of 10 each, the women are
trained in skills like mushroom and vegetable cultivation
fruit processing. A credit society is established thereafter w
loan of Rs 500 is made-available to each member.
The results are evident. In Jala village, Gumari
her companions started growing mushroom six month
inside their huts. Claims a gleaming GunjaTi, "Today we
upto Its 400 per month from selling mushrooms and have
own money to buy whatever we like, without being depm
on our husbands."
While the movement has enabled the women of Patw
to come out, fight against injustices and participate in
development process, it is also aiming to make the villages
sustainable. The 10 per cent interest charged an the repam
of loans goes to the fund of the village samiti.
