Livelihood for 500 Tribal Women in Gujarat

Greetings. The past few months have been very busy for the members of Sakhi Sangtathan. First there was a three-day legal training at Vikalp Women’s Group where the women were versed in the Indian laws and acts that they work with frequently. They were given tools to better understand their rights and how to work within the system to get what they need. For example, they spent one day of the training learning how to fill out forms for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), through this act the women are learning to file applications to demand work for 100 days. This is an act that the women must know intimately because they come into contact with this regularly. This will help Sakhi Sangathan and Mahila Panch (the better assist their community as well as other members of Sakhi Sangathan. By the end of the three days, everyone had learned the procedures and necessary documentation to file complaints and follow up with the local government on a variety of legal issues. A few weeks later there was an exposure visit to Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), a women’s organization, which works on issues of livelihood, they are located in western Gujarat. The women traveled together to Kutch in a bus listening to music and enjoying one another’s company. They had the chance to visit one of the Sangathans (women’s group) of KMVS that has been around for years and is quite well established. It was a great opportunity to learn about another organization that is working on similar issues. They were able to spend the whole day observing how the women of KMVS work. There was discussion of best practices and the different methods that KMVS uses. We also had time for questions and getting to know each other. They also bought and sold manure to members of Sakhi Sangathan and sold out! This has been a wonderful way to start a new business venture. They are planning to buy even more manure (with your help) next year!