Mahila Shakti Project

Mahila Shakti Project- Supported by Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Mumbai

Implemented by- Human Welfare Association, Varanasi

Executive Summary

“Sustainable Development of Rural Women through Education Initiatives”

The present project area covers one block Chairaigaon, Varanasi in Mahila Shakti project. The Human Welfare Association is working in the project area and formed more than 100 women Self-help groups, through these SHG, nearly 1000 women are associated with the organization in the livelihood promotion activities.  But due to lack of education facilities there is very low literacy among the women. Every task requires various supports and suggestion for achieving this study was also requires such as type of support and suggestion. In this context the project intervention is highly populated with people from Dalit and OBC Communities, socially discriminated groups and economically backward communities. These communities are for below other communities. Consequently, they become the priority for the any development initiatives and these communities receive top priority for the development of rural women through education initiatives

The project believe that if the women will literate and capable in numeracy and improve their personality, lifestyle will change and they will become more empowered in the field of socio economic and political  sector and  will play a vital role in the field of development.

Description about project:

AIM: The Mahila Shakti project aims to organize and empower the most disadvantaged sections of rural women for sustainable and comprehensive development leading to improved quality of living and empowerment through the education initiatives.

GOAL: To Empower the rural women through education initiatives.

HWA is the local implementing partner in Varanasi district for the SDTT initiative “Strengthening women’s Social, Economic and Political Empowerment” block of   Chiraigaon Varanasi, district of Uttar Pradesh. 1000 women Participated in Mahila Shakti project through 40 education centers in 20 villages and additional 1000 women will be the prominent and integral part of the federation from 20 nearby villages of education centre. Economic empowerment, including & ensuring sustainable growth of SHGs, initiation of the process and federation formation centers 40 villages will cover for the federation of the Mahila Shakti.

Project at a glance:

Case study: 1

Name                          –             Munni Devi

Village                        –             Mustafabab ( Bari)

Husband Name          –             Shiyaram

I am Munni Devi from Mustafabaad and I belong to Dalit family .My husband name is Ashok kumar and I have two son and three daughters.  My mother- in- law works in a primary  school to make mid day meal. My husband is illiterate and he is working in farm as labor. My children are reading in primary school. I was also illiterate but I wanted to give proper guideline to my children for their bright future .I always felt lack of education in my life. When I listen about the program of women education, I became very happy and now I can’t express my happiness. When I joined the education center, I didn’t know how to write my name. Savitri  didi  has taught  me to write  my name and my family name but I used to forget words  so for solving forgetting problem I used to write the words on the walls of my kitchen and other working place. I used to read the words on written on the walls during my working and in such a way I get rid off forgetting difficult words. My husband supports me and motivates to participate at the education center and tell me, “Tohar Pathsala ka time hogail tohar didi agailin jaldi jaho.” Now I am able to read and write simple words and sentences easily. We have decided the name of cluster PRAGTI this name represents to develop our life. I always motivate other community women those who are not attending the educational center and illiterates.

Case study: 2

Name                           –         Hiramani Devi

Husband Name          –           Ramprsad

Village Name             –           Damodarpur

Age                             –           38 years

My name is Hiramani and I am the member of SHG. The name of my SHG is AZAD.  I have two sons and four daughters. Hiramani lives in Damodarpur, her family condition is very poor. She does not take the proper care of her children. She participates in all activities at educational center but she sufferes for taking the ration from the government supply because she has not the BPL card for this. She is very upset for making the ration card and tried with her best but she could not get success in it. Then she interacted with educational instructor and supervisor staff and urged her agony. All educational women and members put pressure on Gram Pradhan, Shiya Yadav  and BDC member,  Vijay Kumar  Gupta  and so that they got the  ration card in right time.  The Federation members also help villagers to identify right beneficiaries, so that they can get right worth. Due to community mobilization and putting pressure on Gram Pradhan. They supported her under the right and legal concept of getting BPL card and after doing the legal process and struggle with government employees, she became success to get her BPL card. Now she is in hilarious spirit because she gets ration by the government and her children have not to sleep with hunger.

Case study: 3

Name                          –    Gayatri

Village name              –    Bhaisaudi

Husband’s Name       –    Bhaiyalal

Gayatri is a house wife. She is of 45 age. Her husband’s name is Bhaiyalal. She has one son and one daughter in law. Her family is completely dependent on labour work and this is only single source of income for whole year. She belongs to Dalit community and she comes to educational center. She was only woman of her community who wanted to form SHG and she also mobilized other women to come forward to sustain their economical condition. After that women were mobilized and they were ready to form SHG. All women decided to elect Gayatri Devi as a president for her group and she started to think about the development of her community. In beginning she realized that most of women in the community are illiterate and unemployed, they don’t have any work to do so this time is very difficult for their family.

 Women Federation training is organized by the organization in this village and Educational Center group leaders are invited to participate in the training at cluster level. Gayatri devi represents her group in the meeting after the training. She realized, it will help to get work in the village with dignity. She started to conduct group meetings in the village and she motivate to the member to apply for the work. She inform them if they demand for the work in written application to the gram pradhan than he can’t refuse their demand. If he is not able to provide work within 15 days then we can demand for allowance.

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