Empowered to make a living, they break old shackles

People's Rural Education Movement assists rural women in Orissa to help themselves.

Breaking away from age-old shackles on women in India, 35-year-old Polamma, belonging to the Nulia (fishing) community in Goplapur in Orissa, goes to Berhampur and other nearby towns, along with her friends, to sell fish. Four years ago a woman's role among the Nulias was restricted to making and mending nets.

"I go Berhampur every day to sell fish," said Polamma, confidence and cheer lighting up her face.

Sometime around 2003, Polamma took a small loan from the self-help group (SHG) formed by 20 women, including Polamma, in the village.

Polamma has four children. When husband Sada was the only earning member of the family, it was a daily struggle to make ends meet. Not anymore.

"Now I am able to send my two daughters to school instead of sending them to catch fish," she says, adding that her son is enrolled for an IT course in Bangalore.

Polamma says selling fish directly in towns near Gopalpur has changed everything. Earlier Sada used to sell his catch to middlemen at a low price. Now Polamma has taken over.

Similarly Urmila, along with her friends, pluck kewar flowers and directly sell to the manufacturer of essence.

"During the season, I can procure at least 30 to 40 thorny flowers and earning range between Rs 150 to Rs 200, depending on the quality," she said. The marketing of the flowers is being done by the SHG in the village.

Over 42,000 women in 28 districts in Orissa have moved from the confines of the kitchen to engage in income generation.

The origin was 1992, when the People's Rural Education Movement (PREM), a leading NGO in the state, launched the micro-credit system in Ganjam district.

The organisation formed a separate wing, called Utkal Mahila Sanchaya Vikash O Samaj Mangal (UMSVOSM) to take its activities far and wide.

The district administration and UK-based Plan International helped in formation of the SHGs.

As many as 2,435 SHGs under the UMSVOSM were levering about Rs 50 lakh and savings from poor households grew to about Rs 1 crore. Further, the number of households with access to credit is over 42,000 families, according to Sanjukta Tripathy, the coordinator of the project.

The interest stands at two per cent.

Apart from empowering the rural women in the state, the SHGs are also 'arms' for the benefeciaries to fight social evils like domestic violence, say members.

According to said Jacob Thundyil, the president of PREM, UMSVOSM's SHGs are a way for the rural women to generate income, build on dreams and even muster political influence by banding together.

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