Empower deserted women and widows in rural India

Dead of the night. A group of women walked purposefully towards a large lake filled with water. It was twilight.

Reaching the water body, about 5-6 women waded into the water while others stood guard on the banks.

Meanwhile the water reached the waists of the wading women.

It was clear they were searching for something. After about 5-10 minutes they stumbled on something under the water. They were delighted.

There were 7-8 drums of about 200 litre capacity each.

With some effort, the women brought out the drums and threw away its contents.

As the women looked at the empty drums they felt happiness and hope --  hope of a happy family, hope of money remaining at home for food and education, hope of escaping tormenting beating of their husbands.

These women were part of the action group which Surekha had formed in her village. They were and are fighting the manufacture and consumption of illegal liquor in the village.

Not long ago, Surekha had no reason to be anxious about her future when she was married to a man who actually and fortunately had a stable labour job at the forest department. Reality soon hit her when she found him to be totally addicted to liquor and all the money earned went to fuel this addiction.

He succumbed to this addiction within a few years of marriage leaving Surekha to fend for herself and 3 kids.

This made her fiercely resolve to fight and eradicate all the liquour from her village.

Well, how could she ?  First she had to see the family properly fed and live. That made her look towards the Self Help Group. She knew a bit of tailoring so took a small loan to buy a sewing machine.  By and by with some more savings, she took another loan to start a small trade of selling ready-made garments.  She repays  the small loans fast enough to take another small loan again and thus she has been able to gain and maintain a consistent profit.

With this business sense and acumen, she has manage to educate her children.

This year, just prior to festival season, she got a loan of Rs.15,000/- (US $ 225) repaid, borrowed &  repaid twice, leading to an annual profit of Rs.10,000/- (US $ 150). 

Due to this support given so generously by all of you Surekha is secure with her consistent livelihood and is dauntingly fighting the cause of liquor addiction in her village., She was even beaten by the men of her village. But her fight goes on, unforgiving against the people and the system which made her a widow, leading even her children to vulnerable situation.

She feels more meaning in her life due to this cause and fight taken up.
You are actually helping a woman whose empowerment is economic as well for fighting social evils, when you decide to talk about this project and also support.

The project is -

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

Can also know about us through FB Link.

<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chetana-Vikas/162861643736214.>

Thanks for your solidarity against any type of addiction through your support to Surekha.

Niranjana
Project Leader