Rajesh Kumar Srivastava joined Development Alternatives (DA) 12 years back as a resource person. A passionate and sincere field worker, he is a source of pride to DA in terms of dedication and commitment. Now working as a Community Development Link Officer, Rajesh is very proud of his achievements and the help he has been able to provide to the rural illiterate women of Tikamgarh district. He is managing 76 villages of the Niwari block in the Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. One of the main programmes that he is responsible for is the Tejaswani women empowerment programme. He is also supporting the Integrated Watershed Management Programme and Integrated Micro Plan Programmes in these villages.

Rajesh’s responsibilities range from Niwari cluster coordination to community institution building, organising and identification of IGAs for women groups and linkages with appropriate institutions and coordinating with local departments for execution of DA’s programmes. He is the resource person for organising capacity building and training programmes for staff and women groups, and managing the accounts of on-going projects.

Rajesh is very happy with the fact that more than 600 WSHG supported through DA programmes run successfully and contribute to women empowerment. Now women have more access and control over their resources. Trainings and capacity building programmes have improved their knowledge and attitude. Now women SHGs enjoy more active participation in the governance process.

Fifty-five year old Saroj Dubey, a graduate, joined DA as a community mobiliser in 2004. She was married at the age of 14 to an unemployed student. When her husband got a job in the railways in Jhansi, Saroj started her journey with the community during 1988 as a ‘krishi prasarika’ of KVK Sultanpur. She joined TARAgram Orchha as a community mobiliser and worked with different projects before being transferred to TARAgram Pahuj in 2006. In TARAgram Pahuj, Saroj Dubey has taken up the challenge of women SHG formation in 14 villages of Jhansi district through NABARD supported projects.

In rural villages, SHG formation is not an easy task, as the men are suspicious of their women gathering in public places. Also the illiterate women refuse to come out of their houses. Saroj’s untiring visits and interactions have made a large difference. Gradually the women have started talking to her, and she has helpe them understand the benefits of group formation.

With her dedicated field work, the illiterate women started participating in the meetings and initiated savings which helped them to accumulate money in their groups and also helped them economically in times of necessities.

Meanwhile NABARD sanctioned 250 WSHG project in Badagaon and Babina blocks of Jhansi district and Saroj was put in charge of forming 85 SHGs in 8 villages. She has taken the lead in helping 14 SHGs to start income generation enterprises/ activities under the ICRISAT Model Watershed project. The women under her tutelage are earning around Rs 4000 every month through these IGAs.

Beyond these endeavours, women from these villages are now actively participating in Gram Sabha meetings and decision-making processes too. q