Empower deserted women and widows in rural India

Society is full of stories of women who have always played second fiddle to men of the community. Their lives were always in the hands of either their father, brother AND/OR their husbands and other male relatives.

So when fate throws them into situations where they cannot turn to any man, the women are totally lost, vulnerable and actually frightened.

Geeta, however had to gear up for life much before her husband died. A chronic drunkard, he was of no use to Geeta's household which had to see the education, food and upbringing of one boy and 2 girl children.

Actually he had a good asset as he was owner of a brick kiln. Due to his drinking, it was in shambles.

Geeta firmed her resolve, started learning this business, literally 'brick by brick' and also shoved her husband into helping with work.

Slowly an astute mind took over and the business started picking up.
In between, her husband succumbed to his liquor addiction.
Suffering her loss, but by this time, Geeta had made in roads into the business.
The funds provided by you all helped her to buy new material & equipment.

One day, smoke started emanating from the furnace and the brick kiln was on its way.
The family business was revived.

Brick making is not a small trade.
So, Chetana-Vikas women even helped her to link up with a bank, so that she could get more loan. Picking up labour, hiring vehicles, transporting bricks, bargaining a good price, choosing appropriate soil, running the kiln efficiently, bank transactions et al is done by Geeta herself.

This widow saw to it that her children get a good education, despite all odds.

The months of rainy season, when this brick making closes down, she has started making earthen deities of local gods and sells them in local market for these 5 months.

Friends, this is one of the stories where a small hand transforms lives manifold.
With a profit of Rs.50,000/- ($ 805) that she is able to earn, Geeta and her three children are looking forward to a healthier, brighter and more secure life. All due to your small hand of support.

Actually it also helps in realizing the inherent potential of these women who are usually driven to a life of drudgery, unending household work and usually subjugation. This life is not always their choice.
We would like you to note that Geeta is a pioneer entrepreneur who has taken up brick making in our region.

Taking a cue from Geeta, we also have to reconstruct lives of other needy women 'Brick by Brick'.

Direct all your friends to join this noble endeavor.

<http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/empower-deserted-women-and-widows-in-rural-india/,>.  

We are also accessible on <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chetana-Vikas/162861643736214.>

Warm Regards,

Niranjana
Project Leader

A husband after 2 years of married life and birth of a girl, doubting her fidelity just looks at his wife with scorn and suspicion and suddenly says, "leave my home, I do not want you here".

 Although nothing new in this behavior, that day something snapped inside his wife, Babytai.

She roared back, "who are you to ask me to leave? I myself abandon you as my husband".

Picking up her only daughter, she stormed out of her husband's house, went back to her parents village and started a lonely but valiant struggle to fend for herself and her daughter.

Friends, here I would like to bring it to you notice that for many persons like Babytai a New Year resolution is not for things like "I have to shed some weight" or "I will start getting up earlier at 5.00 am" and so on.

To continue living is a resolve to be completed and that too with fight for getting enough food, education, and other basic amenities for herself, her daughter & parents.

So, the husband got deserted. Babytai, without wasting time in crying over spilt milk, threw herself into earning money in whatever way she could understand.

Taking cue from Chetana-Vikas, she took loans and started diversified small businesses.

• She established a kitchen garden and sowed short duration vegetables to sell to every one. She also has a section of flower garden to sell flowers on festivals.
  
  
• Started a small shop to sell stationary, artificial jewelry and glass bangles etc.
  
  
• Although a 4th standard primary pass out, she applied for a license for selling kerosene, with help of Chetana-Vikas guidance.

          Till date, her reputation is of distributing kerosene fairly to needy families and with care and concern which is a 
          contrast and a far cry from corruption ridden distribution through government licencees.

• Indian households make designs in front of their homes which is a time consuming affair. She started another business by selling dry coloured powders to use in such designs.

Babytai, now 49, an unexposed, uninformed person living in interiors of India is actually running a business conglomerate albeit small.  Whatever profit she earns from one activity is used to push the other activity. All this after she earns her needful daily expenses.  She deliberately keeps a low profit margin to draw customers to her business.

Village people have come to know of her as a resolute and a resourceful woman who has many ideas up her sleeve. She has a nose for business where no one has thought of any. She has used the money provided by you all to enhance the carrying capacity of her small business and also investing in getting a tap connection to irrigate her
small garden.

Her respect in villages has increased and she is called in as a mentor for many actions in the village. These developed facets of her personality are a different story altogether.
Chetana-Vikas invites her many times as a Resource Person for other village women who wish to be entrepreneurs.

Friends !  We hope the festival season has gone well for all of you.

We want all of you to have a New Year Resolution of directing at least 10 of your friends or relatives to this Global Giving Page to help hidden diamonds like Babytai.

<http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/empower-deserted-women-and-widows-in-rural-india/,>. 
We are also accessible on <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chetana-Vikas/162861643736214.>

We ensure and assure that your money goes exactly where intended and to people who really need it.
A BIG THANKS  for all that has been already done by you.

Through Global Giving, our New Year resolution is to help atleast 50 women this year.
We await your numbers in your New Year resolution.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Niranjana, Other Team Members & the Rural Women who have brought all of us together.