AWARENESS RISING ON GIRLS’ EDUCATION, FAMILY WELFARE, FEMALE FOETICIDE; BRIDES TAKING EIGHT ROUNDS ON MARRIAGE AS A PLEDGE
Jaipur : It was an unusual show at the marriage ceremony of Santo Devi, daughter of Mrs. Ramkatori, chairperson of the Lupin Women’s Self Help Group (SHG) at Dharampura village in Bharatpur district recently. While the SHG members were taking care of all arrangements at the function, Santo Devi took eight rounds around the fire instead of the customary seven – the eighth as a pledge not to kill the daughter in her womb when she conceives. Santo Devi also took a pledge that she would not go for female foeticide even if she delivers a daughter for the first time. Similarly, Suman, daughter of Sunita in Rathbhan Jatauli village, and Pinki, daughter of Rajrani, in Bharatpur city, also too eight rounds around fire during their marriage ceremonies.
This kind of initiatives are being taken by the members of SHG to encourage the birth of girls in the villages such as Bahtana, Chainpura, Kheria Purohit in the region. Wherever a daughter is born, the occasion is celebrated with a great gusto and a sapling of peepal, tulsi, jamu or neem is planted. Event the daughter is named after the religious or natural icons such as Tulsi, Narmada, Ganga or Yamuna.
The members of SHGs in the region have started realizing the significance of small families. Women who have two children are encouraged to adopt permanent family planning methods even if such children are girls. An example is that of Anguri and her husband belonging to Rampura village, who were convinced about the tubectomy operation in the local government hospital. Women of child bearing age are also encouraged to adopt family planning methods to keep a gap between the birth of their children.
The establishment of SHGs in the rural areas has facilitated conducting of self-employment ventures as a group activity, group discussions on national development programmes and community discussions on discarding the destructive customs. This has led to a significant dilution in the caste identity and social stratification in the region, falling in eastern Rajasthan. A salutary instance of community help rendered in an hour of crisis is that of the recent fire in the huts of three poor families in Majajpur village of Weir Panchayat Samiti. The entire household goods of these families were destroyed and they did not have any food, utensils and clothes. The SHG members knocked at the doors of each house in the village and collected foodgrains and clothes for the families in distress. Similarly, the goods and utensils were collected for the marriage of a girl belonging to a poor family through a community initiative in Nagla Harchand village. The biggest awareness among the SHG members has come on the front of education. They are trying their best to get higher education for their sons as well as daughters. SHG member Mukesh Jadon in Sheorana village has sent her daughter for Chartered Accountant education, Santo of Dharampura village has sent her two daughters for the nursing course, Gyanvati of Kharera village has sent her daughter for B.Tech. and Keshwati of Nagla Karansingh village has sent her two daughters for higher education.
Similarly, SHG chairperson Mrs. Jai Deyi has emerged as an icon in the region after she started goat rearing by obtaining loan and later not only repaid the loan in time but also sent her son for medical education. All the SHG women in the region send their sons and daughters for regular education. They have also become aware about the health of the family, immunization and cleanliness in and around their houses. They encourage others to go for immunization of their children. Dharampura village is today known as a “Pink Village”, thanks to the cleanliness drive undertaken by the women and the pink colour with which the houses on the main roads have been painted. The customs such as Mrityu Bhoj(feast on death) are being abandoned. Recnetly, Mrs. Balviri of Vahaj village in Deeg Panchayat Samiti donated her land for construction of a community centre instead of hosting Mrityu Bhoj on her husband’s death. The village population today uses the community centre for social activities.
Over 2,000 SHG formed and associated with self-employment ventures
The Lupin Human Welfare & Research Foundation found during its extensive surveys in the rural areas of Bhartpur district that most of the women in the villages did not have anything to do in their spare time after completing their household chores. Their families often faced financial difficulties as they did not get agricultural labour throughout the year. After this finding, the Foundation established as many as 2,870 SHGs for women belonging to poor families. Their members were imparted training as per the local requirements and loans worth Rs. 10 crores were obtained for them from the National Women’s Fund, NABARD and other banks on easy terms. The SHG members started self-employment ventures by utilizing the loan amount in the areas where the raw material was easily available in the vicinity and the material produced by them could be sold in the local markets. The women having membership with the SHGs are today engaged in diverse areas such readymade garments, poultry farming, goat rearing, milk products, sale of vegetables, growing of flowers, sewing, tulsi mala fabrication, chain fabrication, flour mill operations and beauty parlour business.
Besides, 27 SHGs have started preparing midday meals at Anganwadi centres in Kumher Panchayat Samiti area, which has yielded positive results. The SHG members have repaid loans to different financial institutions on time and their savings have made an immense contribution to the development of their families, as evident from the increased level of education of their children. Lupin Foundation has prepared health protection cards for about 900 women living in far-flung areas, enabling them to get health services free of cost. This is in addition to their insurance for social security, which gives them an insurance cover against accidents, damage to their houses and Rajrajeshwari Beema.
Respect for self-reliant women in families
As a result of employment-oriented training followed by loans and guidance, women have started contributing to the financial well-being of their families. As a result, the self-reliant women are getting respect in the household and being consulted in important decisions for the families. This has given a new identity to women. Women members of SHG in Bajhera village of Sewar Panchayat Samiti recently started vegetable farming as a community venture. With the growing confidence, they protested against the plans to open a country liquor stall at a public place in the village. The Village Panchayat agreed with their stand and took a decision against opening of the liquor kiosk. This is just an instance of the growing clout of women in the rural societies.
Women’s entry into the domains of men’s monopoly
The growing confidence has enabled women members of SHGs to enter the areas which were hitherto considered by men as their exclusively under their control. Welding, farming, poultry farming, marble handicrafts and chain fabrication are some of the areas where women have succeeded in breaking men’s monopoly. Lupin Foundation has supplied PC tablets to women supervisors in the district to keep up to date the records of loans sanctioned and works completed. Constant monitoring of the works of SHGs will enable the Foundation to resolve the difficulties faced by women in performing their new responsibilities in the realm of self-employment.
Kalyan Singh Kothari, Media Consultant, Lupin HW&R Foundation,
Mobile: 9414047744