Sitting comfortably in the Bhopal-bound Shatabdi train, I was busy browsing the Internet searching for information about Jhansi, my destination. I wondered why Development Alternatives had chosen Bundelkhand for one of its bases.
 
‘Are you going to Jhansi?’ enquired one of my fellow passengers.
And this general enquiry transformed itself to a 4 hour-long conversation, which only ended with the arrival of Jhansi station. For the next four hours my fellow traveller, from Arunachal Pradesh, kept asking only one question, ‘Why had DA not come to Arunachal Pradesh? Why did they only chose Bundelkhand?’ My answers failed to satisfy him and before he left, he shook my hand vigorously and in a taunting manner said, ‘Probably your organisation was impressed by the Rani of Jhansi and you are here to find another Rani.’ Embarassed, I was soon on my way.

I found Jhansi quite similar to Cuttack, the city where I belong. But one major difference between Jhansi and Cuttack, which immediately caught my eyes, was the verdant greenery surrounding Cuttack which Jhansi and its neighbouring areas completely lack. And the reason is very well known – Bundelkhand has not received even a single drop of rain in the past 5 years. ‘How do people manage their life here without water?’ I asked my cab driver, watching the brown fields. His reply was more than what I expected. ‘Saab, dikkat to hoti hai magar kahin kahin apke office waalon ne kafi rahat pahunchayi hai.’ Yes we are facing problems without water but your office has given some good relief .
 
This comment whetted my curiosity as to how we are marking a change in people’s lives. Soon, I got my answer.

Empowerment through Education

While entering Pipra village of Niwari district, I found a nicely painted house with MCR tiles on its roof, making it distinct from the other houses. From the placard I read that DA had constructed this house.

Soon I heard of the owner of the house, Ravidas. When I expressed my desire to meet him, people pointed towards a house. But I couldn’t see anyone resembling Ravidas, as all of the occupants of the room were women and I expected Ravidas to be a man. But to my surprise, I found that Ravidas was indeed present inside the room. In fact, it was the name of the group of women sitting there. Ravidas – Self Help Group. DA had created this women-based group in April 2001.

Here I met Lila Devi Ahirwar, treasurer of SHG Ravidas. The most astonishing fact about her is that she took part in DA’s TARA Akshar programme, became literate and now she is teaching other women in the village and that too on a laptop. She is also one of the leading people who initiated the process and gathered 15 women to form SHG Ravidas with the help of DA.
 
Fighting for Their Rights

Ravidas undoubtedly stands apart from other groups because of what it has done for its village Pipra. Being a SHG comprising of Dalit women, Ravidas faced many problems since its inception. Villagers made fun of them and their husbands ridiculed their advancements. But still they went ahead and got their organisation registered. Initially begun with 15 members, they demanded a house for their organisation in the village head but it fell on deaf ears. After months of tireless efforts the village head gave them an abandoned house, which would collapse at any moment. But these women didn’t lose hope and continued to fight for their rights. And finally, with DA’s intervention and the help of local authorities, the village head was ready to give them a plot. It was a victory, especially for those who had never raised their voice in their own homes. And to add to the celebrations, DA soon raised an office here, aiding the empowered women. This was a combined win for both Ravidas and DA.
 
Building Social Togetherness

Lila Devi Ahirwar and the other members of the group are not just thinking of themselves but also for the welfare of the entire village. As Bundelkhand region continues to suffer a severe draught, everyday, thousands of women travel great distances to fetch water, wasting a lot of time and energy. Considering all these factors, when DA came up with Arghyam project, Lila Devi and the members of the Ravidas group also became involved with this project, which resulted in laying down of 1240m of water pipeline by DA in Pipra village. But taking the pipeline to the village was not that easy. The sarpanch broke the pipeline 7 times. ‘We were very upset. It was not just for some people but for the whole village. But we were determined to complete it,’ said Lila Devi. And the efforts of this SHG did pay dividends and now the whole village is under water availability.

Now, the members of Ravidas group have an account in the State Bank of India with an initial saving with Rs. 2 per week. Now it has come up to Rs. 50 per month. Even the bank now gives cash credit of Rs. 50,000 to the group. Apart from these achievements to their credit, with the help of DA they are now making incenses, candles, sauces, papads, etc., to supplement their livelihoods. Certainly, DA has prepared them for climate change by empowering them for a bright future and enhanced their potential to live in the difficult times ahead.

Empowerment Through Better Health: Bhakti SHG

Belonging to an oppressed community, the women of Vijaypur Kalan village in Datia district used to be confined to the four walls of the house. They did not have a say either in the decision making of their homes or in any matter of the village. But now the scenario has changed drastically within 3 years. Women are coming out their houses and meeting more frequently than their male counterparts. They have made a difference in their lives; they have earned everyone’s respect. And all these things happened because of the enterprising Kala Bai Kushwaha. Kala Bai is quite similar to the other women of Vijaypur Kalan but when it comes to mental fortitude, she is much above than others. Oppression always suffocated her but shellacked the courage to fight. This courage got a voice when DA came to her village and convinced the people to form a SHG called Bhakti. The rest is now history.

Since 2005, when DA’s initiatives led Kala Bai to form the Bhakti SHG, there was no looking back. Kala Bai was made thepresident of the Bhakti SHG. Kala Bai has not only made the village women more confident in their status but she has also made them aware of health hazards which the women are most vulnerable to. Learning from DA, Kala Bai understood the need of the cookstoves made by DA, which are safer and smokeless. Now she not only advocates the need of DA chullahs (stoves) in the kitchen in all the households, but she has also convinced many women to replace their traditional stoves. Now the difference is quite visible. Women using the double-pit stoves are now healthier, as the emission of smoke is pretty negligible. It also reduces the amount of fuel used for cooking as it is very energy efficient. Among these happier and healthier women, Kala Bai is the happiest, having made a difference in people’s lives.

Returning from Jhansi, I found the same gentlemen from Arunachal Pradesh in the train. Before he could say anything I replied, ‘Yes sir, you were right. Indeed, I found Jhansi ki Rani. In fact, several such ranis.’

Women Empowered

Som Vati: A widow from Vijay Pur Kalan lost her husband in 2001, becoming responsible for her children, a teenaged girl and a small boy. She didn’t know wh5at to do. But after joining a DA-led SHG, she was filled with the courage to fight and survive. Now she has got her daughter married and her son is engaged in farming.
 
Ramku: An old woman from Richari Village, Datia, Ramku plays with her grandson everyday at her courtyard of newly built house with DA building technology. She is quite old but healthy and happy. A year ago it was not like this. Ramku was ill and lay in bed most of the time. The reason behind her apathy was that she stayed in the house with a traditional roof made up of clay tiles and straws. This roof was unable to keep out the dust and heat from the room. The result was asthma and related diseases affecting Ramku and her family’s health. But since Ramku built her house with DA building technology, her life has transformed. Now she and her family members are all healthy. And where there is good heath, happiness always prevails.
 
Mamta: Mamta is the treasurer of the SHG Gopal Baba, a group formed by DA in which women are taught to make MCR tiles. Raising three girls and one boy alone would have been an uphill task but with the help of DA and working in the MCR unit, Mamta is now earning Rs 1500 per month. She is able to save some money for her children’s betterment.
 
Kiranti Yadav: Kiranti Yadav stays in close proximity to a stone crushing unit in Richari Village. Due to the resultings dust and heat, she and her family members’s lives were not that easy. But after moving to their new house made by DA building technology, Kiranti Yadav is very happy. Her house is now better insulated from heat and free of dust. She is also using the DA made double pit stove and saving money on medicines which she used to buy for her cough related diseases. q           

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