Monday, March 24, 2003
The Women of Chakia Block in Chandauli
- Tarannum ManjulA Gemini true to the word, Tarannum Manjul is a 23 year old journo, who loves her profession and is passionate about issues close to women, children and the backward. An English Literature Graduate from Delhi University, she shifted to Lucknow in search of her aim in life. If there’s something to do with the above three, u will always find Tarannum closeby. A feminist of the new world, she believes in what she wants. Her only motto is live life for the moment and it will be yours.
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A few years ago, some rural women decided to take up their roles as the annapurna (food provider) of the house more seriously. And today, these 200 groups of women across the state are not only cooking food in their houses, but are also growing it using chemical-free vermi-compost manufactured by them.
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The women of Chakia block in Chandauli, alongwith some other Sahyoginis (members) in Chitrakoot, Saharanpur and Varanasi districts, are today enjoying empowerment of a different kind. Trained by Mahila Samakhya UP, these women are successfully implementing the SAWERA (Sustainable Agriculture and Women Empowerment through Rural Approach) programme of UNDP everyday, as their produce increases with every passing season.
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Says Malti, a villager from Chakia, "We never knew that we could grow grains ourselves too. As my husband works in the city, our land was lying unused. But thanks to this training, I have not only been able to use the land, but also add to my family's income." For Rani, another villager, the project came as a boon. "After my husband's death, there was no source of income for us. I had decided to sell-off the little land we had, but after this training, I have been able to provide to my family. I have also bought a cow with my savings." Like them, many other women too are enjoying this new-found freedom of farming.
After being trained, the women have also started manufacturing vermi-compost using the vegetable waste from their houses and have shunned the use of chemical fertilizers completely. "We feel that our hands have become more powerful since we have started farming. We can help the male members of our family in farming, which adds our importance in the family," says Vidhyavati, another villager.
As for men, this independence of women is something, which they do not object to. "Times have changed and if the woman of the house is helping the man, there is nothing wrong in it. Infact, our lives have changed ever since these women have taken the task of farming in their hands. We now have more time for ourselves," says Mannu Lal, an elderly villager.
The state director of MS UP, Dr Manju Agarwal and incharge of the project in Chakia, Ravishankar feel happy about the progress. "The women have certainly come forward for their new jobs, acquiring empowerment in a real big way."
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