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
Bhim Kumari Aryal
Education is the key to life
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Fifty-two years old Bhim Kumari Aryal and her family migrated to Nawalparasi district from Syangja, west Nepal, to begin a new life. They had leased a land to improve their economic condition. Unfortunately, one day flood washed away their land and all their belongings. Following the incident, they had to live in a makeshift house with empty stomach for days.
They then leased 1 bigha land to start agriculture business but due to lack of irrigation facilities, they couldn’t produce sufficient. So they started to collect firewood in the jungle and sell it in the local market. This however didn’t last long as the guard prohibited them to enter the forest. They were then forced to work as road construction labor for the pay as less as 20 ($ 0.27) rupees per day. Her days became worse when she got pregnant. Now she couldn’t go out to earn and they had to rely solely on her husband’s earning. Within few years, she bore two children. This situation continued until she became a member of women’s group and received goats from Heifer Nepal. She also received trainings on cornerstone, goat management, group management and kitchen gardening.
She took good care of her goats and increased its flock. She made Rs. 12,380 ($ 167) by selling six goats. She invested 2000 rupees ($ 27) to purchase a Holstein cross bred heifer and Rs. 1500 to start banana plantation. She also invested the remaining amount and some loan from her group fund in vegetable farming. Her hard work finally paid when she earned Rs. 40,000 from sale of vegetables alone. Currently she owns 4 goats and one Holstein cattle, banana farm in 1 Kattha (333.33 sq m) land and vegetable farm. She has also installed diesel operating pumping set in partnership with three other members of her community. She has also established a fodder block with different species of 150 fodder trees.
Bhim Kumari has already renovated her house, constructed a pit latrine and she has also started to dump waste in a small compost pit. Meat and milk are now a regular part of her family meal.
She is not only a responsible wife and mother but also a responsible member of her community. She actively takes part in activities such as tree plantation, group meetings, encourages participatory decision making, social movement against gambling and alcoholism, and imposing fine for it. She has taken an active leadership to upgrade community school from primary to high school level. Bhim Kumari shares, “Education is the most important thing in anyone’s life. I wish every person of our country to be educated.”
She invested considerable amount of her income in the school education of her sons. Bhim Kumari enrolled her daughter-in-law for the tailoring course. She says "Skills oriented trainings are as important as education. This training will help my daughter-in-law and son in the time of crisis.”
Written in June 2002
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