A ROLE MODEL WOMAN
65 years old, Geeta Devi Kafle of "Janaklyan Women's Group", Mahottari district gave up the long held caste discrimination practice.
She has been a role model of the Khayarmara VDC of Mahottari district. Now she eats what so-called Dalit (Untouchable) people give her. She allows Dalits in her home. The women's group participated in the Cornerstones training and changed their philosophy toward the age-old caste discrimination practice.
In Nepali phenomenon the society is divided into caste groups with hierarchy. Those of the so-called higher caste (Brahmin, Chhetrri) discriminate against the lower caste (Dalits). The level of discrimination is inhumane to the effect that Dalits are considered untouchable and ostracized from the society.
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Success Stories
Binda Sunar
Personification of struggle and success
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The stigma attached with being a Dalit is slowly fading away, thanks to Binda's constant effort in fighting against caste and gender discrimination. Women's group in Nuwakot organized a communal feast in the village. Binda, a Dalit woman, cooked the food and as she saw people of all castes sitting side by side, eating the food she served, tears filled up in her eyes. Binda says, "This was the happiest moment in my life. Heifer cornerstones have changed the perception of untouchables. It taught us we all are equal."
Raju Thapaliya, teacher of community school remarked, "Once Binda was considered untouchable and was prohibited from touching community drinking tap. Now people not only drink water from her without any hesitation but also consider her a good soul."
Radha Sunar, Binda’s husband, proudly shared, “I used to be called as Radhe Kami (derogatory term for untouchables), but now people call me Radha dai (elder brother). This is all because of my wife. I am proud of her."
Being a Dalit and a woman, life was never so easy for Binda Sunar, 31. Poorest among the poor and one of the most marginalized communities in Nepal, Dalits or so-called untouchables lead a shadowy existence, segregated from the society and barred from the opportunities of the outside world. Binda's fate was sealed the day a sister of hers passed away. She was to be married to her brother in law, following a tradition she could not object to. At the age of 14, dropping out of school from grade 6, she became the third wife of Radha Bahadur Sunar, already an aged man with two children.
After marriage, Binda was hastened to a life of adulthood. Amidst the farm work, household chores, tending to animals and caring for the children, there was no time for her. Food and money was always scarce. Her husband would not work. Always drinking or gambling, he pushed the family further into financial trouble. On top of that, he married another woman who also died after giving birth to a girl. Binda had to take care of one more child. Hardly 20 and already surrounded by problems, crushed by responsibilities and looking older than her age, Binda had left all the hopes she had for herself. Her husband continued to be unsupportive and brutal. Beatings grew frequent and more violent.
Her troubles did not end with the family. Binda was used to the ridicule, exploitation and oppression that come with being a Dalit in Nepal. But even she had not imagined what was to befall her when she dared to participate in a group formed by the Local Development Fund. She was publicly humiliated, mentally tortured and physically abused to the point that she had to leave the group crying. Defeated from everywhere, she reached a breaking point. "I was so frustrated with the community and my husband that I drank the insecticide. Then I saw my children and thought no one would care for them if I died.” Looking at them, she so wanted to live, that she who had unhesitantly poisoned herself a few minutes ago, was now afraid she would die. She was rushed to the local health post. Chances were grim but she survived. After the incident Binda decided she would no more submit to the circumstances and suffer silently. She made a promise to herself, to make things better for her and her children.
Life changed after joining Heifer: When Binda saw the women of her village discussing in the self help group, she requested Community and Rural Development Society-Nepal (CARDSN), a partner NGO of Heifer Nepal to include her in group too. In 1999, CARDSN formed a group named "Manakamana Women Development Group," in her leadership where she served as a secretary. There she completely immersed herself in the group activities and started playing active role in the community as well. She received gift of 2 goats, 1 improved stove and training including the Cornerstones, gender just, group management, improved animal management etc. Cornerstones training brought a dramatic change in her ways of perceiving herself. It helped Binda to regain her confidence and rekindled the fighting spirit in her. Binda says, "The wound caused by gender and caste discriminations were healed by the cornerstones medicine." Values-based literacy program, gender training along with "exposure visit " helped to widen her horizons and taught her to see things in a broader level.
With the help of trainings and knowledge provided to her, Binda was able to make the best use of the gifts presented by original group of goat recipients. From the gift of 2 goats alone, she was able to earn 445 US $ within 2 years by selling offspring. Presently, she is earning about 307 $ every year from off season vegetable farming. She is a conscious farmer and knows the benefit of using compost instead of expensive and harmful chemical fertilizers. Encouraged by her successes, Binda has started commercial goat farming as well, taking a loan of 770 $ from her group fund and other groups in the community. Today she is a successful farmer, earning enough to provide her family with proper nutrition, health, education and improved living standards. She had passed on the gift of two goats and one additional buck, 200 fodder saplings, 300 cauliflower plants, four improved stoves (3 additional) to other needy family. She had passed on more than what she received as a gift. 500 sq m land she had provided to her group in free for communal vegetable farming. At present she has 25 goats, 1 breeding buck, 3 buffaloes in her shed and vegetable farming in 1500 sq m of land.
The gifts and trainings provided to Binda helped not only in improving her economic conditions but also helped to carve herself a self reliant, dignified and dedicated woman. No longer a timid, submissive Dalit woman, she has emerged as the leader of the entire community. With her skill of convincing others, she not only changed her husband but also helped other families to bring positive changes in their lives. Her works have earned her a new respect inside the village and in home she has more decision-making powers. Even her husband, who used to abuse her, treats her with respect and helps Binda in her works. He feels sorry for his earlier behavior and takes pride in Binda's achievements.
Her zeal for the change in the community made her to take leadership in Vice President of local NGO "Women for Change". Similarly, President in Women empowerment project of VDC, Treasurer in Road building committee, member in Milijuli Community Forest User Group, Nutrition food (snack management) in primary school, and Bhedabari primary school management committee.
No longer an abode of hunger, suffering and neglect, Binda's home is clean and well looked after. Her children are healthy and getting good grade in their education. Binda beams up with happiness every time she looks at them. The promise she once made to herself is turning out well.
From being an oppressed Dalit woman to the leader and example setter, Binda has undergone a complete transformation, visible in every aspect of her life. Her economic empowerment is only a facet of it. More than that, it is in her newfound confidence and zeal to work for the community, that this transformation is most visible. It is manifested in her increased status within the family and society. It is manifested in the admiring eyes of other struggling women to whom Binda is a source of inspiration. It is manifested in a promise well kept.
Binda's Contribution : She has been involved in community development from the beginning. Some of her key contributions are:
1) With her initiation she formed 7 SHGs(146 members) in her village, who were given cornerstones training. She shares her knowledge, experience and skills with these groups and helps them to make positive transformations in their lives. She had also formed one dalit women's group nearby her village.
2) She is source of inspiration for educating girls. Sabina, age 20 who was deprived from the education is now in grade 9 because of her encouragement. She considers it is her responsibility to aware people about importance of the education.
3) In her leadership, villagers contributed money and free labor to build a 5 km road to the village.
4) In Hindu tradition, women are prohibited to wear anything in red and put any decorative items or make up after their husband’s demise. She challenged this tradition where widows are tortured and gave Sita Sitaula, a widowed group member, all these items, considered taboo for widows. She successfully convinced the society and the society also accepted her initiative.
5) Recognizing her contribution in woman empowerment, the VDC(Village development Committee) has provided her with a sum of 615 $ to work for the same cause.
6) She is always available for help and serves the needy with all she can. She helped to raise a fund of 461 $ to support Nirmala Tamang, whose husband was seriously injured in an accident. With her leadership her group helped to plant rice which was only source of income for Nirmala. At the time of need she had supported her daughter's education by providing all the stationary, school uniform and school fees for 2 years. Otherwise she was about to drop out from the school.
7) Normally women hesitate to consult about their reproductive health issues because of social taboo. Binda took leadership on raising awareness on the women’s reproductive health. Binda not only suggest women to see doctor for such problems but also take them to the hospitals.
8) She has been continuously providing awareness to farmers about improved animal management, vegetable cultivation, fodder plantation and composting.
9) Because of trust and her honesty villagers request Binda to resolve the dispute in the village
She has come a long way and still has a broad vision for the future. She is confident that education is the only way for the liberation of oppressed. She has plans to provide scholarship to two Dalit children specially girls for two years and help build more rooms in the school building. She envisions establishing a goat resource center. She is in a process to form SHG for 250 Dalit women of her village and provide cornerstone, gender training to them. Binda wishes to spend the rest of her life in fighting for women's empowerment, ending gender, caste discrimination and spreading cornerstones to transform the lives of people.
Binda is a leading by an example of how an empowered woman can lead her family and the entire community towards self-reliance and sustainability. She attributes her success to Heifer and CARDSN but it was only her undying courage and unfaltering spirit that brought her this far.
Written in June 2007
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