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.
|
Success Stories
Annapurana Women's Group
Passing on Dignity
|
Hundreds of people gathered to watch the members of “Annapurna Women’s Group” pass on a gift of two goats each and a breeding buck to 12 other resource poor women of “Samjhauta Women’s Group.” The group also brought fodder plants, mineral blocks, and tablets of de-worming medicine, bundles of green grass, wheat flour and husk and 12 chickens, which amazed the gathering.
As the ceremony began, Bijuli KC, president of Annapurna Women’s Group (AWG), recalled their hard days and said how the gift of goats from Heifer helped them to come out of the difficulties of being homeless after the flood. “Passing on the Gift sustained us during our hardship,” she said. “It was the gift that changed our life.”
AWG was formed in 30 April 1999 when 24 women from various castes including the so called untouchables of Sheri village of Nawalparasi district teamed up to combat hunger and poverty. Each member contributed 10 rupees (13 cents) each for the group saving. However, there was no harmony among the women as the deep rooted culture of caste system was still prevalent in the group. The so called untouchables were made to sit in a separate mat even during the group meetings. After two years, a tragedy struck them, flood swept away the whole village. Following the incident, the group members scattered as some left the village while few went to live in nearby villages for temporary shelter.
With a strong desire to re-unite, these women re-formed their group and contacted Women Feeling Unity Forum (WFUF), Heifer’s local partner, in December 2001. Through WFUF, the group received trainings on Heifer’s cornerstones and animal management and health trainings along with two goats from each member and a breeding buck for the group.
With the income from goats, the women could send their children to school, give nutritious food to their family and improved their houses. The group members also mobilized their group fund to further improve their economic condition and used it in raising chicken, vegetable farming and other such income generation activities.
Similarly, they also started banana plantation in 2 kaththa land (0.06 hector) in group and strengthened the Group Fund from selling bananas. Their contribution in the social front is also equally commendable. When a man came to their village and tried to lure a girl with marriage to sell her in a brothel at India, they caught him red handed and saved the girl. They then organized a protest rally against girl trafficking and they are continuously raising awareness in the village. They believe educating girls is the sustainable way to decrease social/domestic violence as well as girl trafficking. With this belief the group has supported Heifer Nepal's Girl Child Education Promotion program by sponsoring one girl child of the ‘Samjhauta Women's Group.’ Similarly, after attending training on personal and community health and hygiene, they built hygienic toilet in all group members' houses. In addition they have also built a community pit latrine and took responsibility to keep it clean.
In the short period Annapurna Women's group have became well known in Madanpur village. The villagers feel proud to have them in their village. The group’s passion towards “Heifer Cornerstone’s - Passing on the Gift" is taken as example in the village which has become an inspiration to other women too.
Written in May 2004
|
|
|
|
|
|
