9 July 2004
Source: The Hindustan Times

Ahmedabad -- Thanks to the efforts of an NGO, women in Gujarat villages are playing an active role in local self-governance -- from water management to designing crafts for the international market. Trained in watershed management and water conservation by the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) based here, Gangaben Bharada of parched Surendranagar district, for instance, has already had a first hand experience in repairing a ruptured water pipe. And with SEWA's backing, Mehtaben Tagji Gadhvi of the border district of Kutch has helped craftswomen design their products for the international market after the devastating earthquake in 2001. When 17, Gangaben was rescued from drowning in a flash flood that depleted the family's cattle. The floods were followed by a harsh drought, and her family's remaining cattle had to be sent to a camp elsewhere for survival. ''As there was no longer any milk from the cattle, we had no source of income to sustain the family.

Taking part in government relief work provided us Rs.20 per week along with some grains, but it was not enough to maintain the family,'' Gangaben told IANS while on a visit to the SEWA office here. ''I joined SEWA four years ago when the water campaign was introduced in my village,'' she said. Gangaben was married when she was 20 years old and moved to her husband's village in Bharada where they lived in a mud house without electricity and sanitation. She had five children, one of whom died of cholera. ''At my husband's village, men used to maintain the water supply and the women were responsible collecting it and getting it home. ''The water came through a pipe from a tank in the neighbouring village of Esarda. There was too much of wastage and the supply too erratic,'' said Gangaben. She said despite several complaints, the men did not pay any attention and used to lord over the women. It was at this point that SEWA launched a water campaign in the village.

The programme was met with scepticism and doubt, since the men did not like the idea of women being involved in something they considered was their work. ''Despite the jeering, we went ahead and formed a water committee with two women representatives from each of the four villages connected to the Esarda water tank,'' Gangaben said. These women were then trained in watershed management and water conservation at the state capital of Gandhinagar. Her first test came when the pipe carrying the water burst. Gangaben asked some women from her team to go to Esrada and close the valve while she instructed some others try to block the leak. With the men watching and jeering, the women were finally able to mend it. Sometimes later, Gangaben's initiative helped villagers in containing a cholera outbreak by cleaning their neighbourhood. Today, Gangaben humbly thanks SEWA for her voluntary role in local self governance. Forty-four-year-old Mehtaben Tagji Gadhvi came to know of the NGO when it was taking part in relief work following the earthquake that killed some 25,000 people in 2001. Kutch, bordering Pakistan, had borne of brunt of the devastation. ''I came to know of SEWA after the January 2001 earthquake,'' recalls Mehtaben, ''I knew only that it worked for poor women.'' Mehtaben learnt about Kutch Craft, Sewa's programme for harnessing the skills of local artisans to create substantial and secure livelihoods. But the earthquake had disrupted work. With her initiative, SEWA formed the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas with Mehtaben as its leader. The committee successfully distributed kits to the village women, monitored the quality of work and collected the products for sale. Now such activities are coordinated under the banner of Jeevika, a livelihood security project run by SEWA. Mehtaben continues to be the moving force behind it. The women of Sonalnagar are currently earning Rs.1,700-1,800 per month through their craftwork. Kutch is famous for its rich embroidery and vibrant colours. Jeevika was launched in October 2002 -- an effort of Sewa, governments of India and Gujarat, the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agriculture Development. Published by HT Media Ltd. with permission from IANS.