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
Nisha Thanet
My dreams came true....
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I am Nisha Thanet from Narayani VDC of Nawalparasi district. Today I feel proud to call myself a careful mother, supportive wife and dedicated social worker. I didn’t develop these attitudes overnight. Thanks to Heifer that it not only gave me sheep, my source of economic stability, but also the values that keep me strong and firm in all the adversities of life.
I belong to Tharu community, a backward ethnic tribe of Nepal, and in our culture, women are not allowed to come out of their house and put their say publicly. Contrary to this, today, I can speak my mind confidently and eloquently. I do not feel scared to talk to the strangers as in the past.
My life was full of struggles as my father ousted my mother along with us to find our own living. My mother earned through a small shop and kept us afloat during those hard times. Life became more difficult after I got married to Durga Thanet when I was only sixteen. He was uneducated and had no source of income. He used to drink alcohol everyday and beat me when I tried to disapprove this. Finally, one day he decided to leave for India to search for work but then he suffered from Asthama and couldn’t leave home.
My worries for the future doubled when I gave birth to my second son. I was not ready to give my children the kind of life I was living. As I was searching for the solution to this life of deprivation and drudgery, I heard about Women Feeling Unity Forum (WFUF), Heifer’s local partner. The NGO made us understand the importance of forming a group and how it could help us. With the hope of new life, we formed a group, “Buhari Mahila Bachat Samuha” with 19 members and decided to save Rs. 10 every month in our group fund.
I received a gift of two sheep from Heifer along with the trainings on group management, cornerstones, animal management, gender and values based literacy class.
Before Heifer came into my life, I used to feel miserable and guilty as I couldn’t afford to send my children to school. Life was so hard that managing two meals a day was difficult, let alone manage the expenses for admission, books and other expenses for their education. But today I have a different life. I feel happy to see my sons doing well in school.
After the cornerstones training, when I shared about the values I learned to my family, my husband and father in law were so impressed that they started sharing hand in household chores. They also helped me to build shed for sheep.
After the first lambing of my sheep, my husband said it was the beginning of our new life and thanked me for that. He also developed confidence in himself and took a loan of Rs. 2500 ($35) and enrolled in tailoring training. He now earns about Rs. 3,000 ($ 41) every month from this.
Meanwhile, I have also leased half hector land and started plantation in it to increase my income. I have banana farm in 0.07 hector land, rice in 0.27 hector. I have also started to raise ducks and chicken to earn for my children’s education. Today I have 18 ducks, 15 chicken and 7 sheep.
Good income has brought good health to my family. All my family members can now have nutritious food and looks healthy and active. I am happy to see my children going to school and securing their bright future.
Sheep brought a hope for better future and harmony to our group members. So we formed a new group to transfer this hope. We passed on the gift of knowledge and sheep to the new group. We also added extra gift of 4 ducks, 2 chicken and 20 mineral blocks.
The greatest achievement of my life is being a VBLP, Values based Literacy Program, facilitator. Through this training I can now change the lives of many people and help my group members to be literate. I feel elated when I see my group members read, write or do calculations. As the women in our pass-on group were also interested in VBLP class, I conducted classes for them in my own resources.
I feel honored when people take consultations with me to send their children for higher education and seek my advice to solve disputes. Similarly, I am also elected in School Management committee, Health Committee and Forest Management Committee. I want to continue empowering myself and pass this empowerment to other women in my village.
Written in June 2005
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