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These unsung heroines believe in self-help Friday, March 9, 2001

AHMEDABAD: They are what you would call the salt of the earth; unfeted but daring, these are women who don't feature in the media columns for the umpteenth time on Women's Day, but who with quiet determination look towards self-help in improving their lot.

A couple of hundred kilometres away from Ahmedabad, in Ishadara village, an all-women five-member team runs the show, without the attendant fanfare, of managing the group water supply scheme for the adjoining four villages of the water-starved Surendranagar district.

Under the aegis of the Surendranagar Mahila aur Bal Vikas Sanstha, these women in the 25-35 age group, were trained for six months by the Gujarat Water Supply Board, right from handling the traditional linesman's job (or lineswoman, corrects a Sanstha member with a giggle), manning (or womanning) the main water pumping station to maintenance of related infrastructure.

And when the quake damaged the pipe connecting the overhead water storage tank, of 4.5 lakh litres capacity, it were these women, along with SEWA members (mostly salt workers), who mustered the courage of climbing atop the structure and repaired the damage. "The mason simply fled and refused to do anything as there were frequent tremors," recalls Beena Trivedi, local co-ordinator of the Sanstha.

And no, it wasn't an easy fight to do something as proactive and basic as controlling the much-needed water resources, which women in these areas are known to treat as more precious than anything else for survival.

"There were the usual sniggers from the men, but after umpteen Gram Sabhas and discussions, the idea was gradually accepted. While earlier villagers used to face the usual indifference of the government staffers, corrective measures take place much earlier now," adds Truptiben, district co-ordinator.

Having worked on their own since the last three months, this group of women has redefined self-reliance on its own terms and what better timing than the new millennium, of ushering in Perestroika of this kind.

 

This site is dedicated to our friend Younus M, who passed away on 28th Sept 00, and left on us an indelible memories ! - Team GujaratPlus.com

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