Relief rebuilding to 25 communities in Nepal

MEN AND WOMEN TWO WHEELS OF THE SAME CART

It is already 23 months that we are working at Sindhupalchowk after the massive destruction by an earthquake 2015. During this period our Shadow Barefoot Volunteers have done different software and hardware works, out of which the women group formation, was one of those. Our Shadow Barefoot Volunteers when entered the village and motivated Dalit women to come out of their home and learn more, then they got inspired. In the initial phase even these women took their husbands to participate in the programmes organized by our Shadow Barefoot Volunteers. After seeing other women participating in different programmes then men from this community also realized that their women has full rights to come out of the home and know about their rights. Slowly these women also realized that the rights cannot be received sitting at home and limiting oneself only in the kitchen and taking care of one's husband and children. In coordination with our volunteers they were able to form a women's group and get registered. Hence they form the group "Shree Janabiswas Dalit Mahila Samuha", where they have 10 women in board and 19 women as general members.

This organization started in January 2016 then started collecting Rs. 100.00 per month as savings and now they have Rs. 48,000.00 savings, which they have started using as a revolving fund and investing Rs. 10,000.00 with low interest rate for any kind of income generation activities for their organization's members for 3 months. The strong groups of women having created an organization have started getting trainings on different issues of women and women's right which helped them increase their confidence level as well as develop the leadership quality.

The 2017 Nepalese Local elections are the first local elections after 20 years and the first to be held since the promulgation of the 2015 constitution. Pampha, the president of Shree Janabiswas Dalit Mahila Samuha representing Maiost Party stood as one of the candidacy from Dalit group of women for this election but unfortunately she lost, but the whole village is in her favor and says "she has not lost in fact this is the lesson learning moment for Dalit women and we celebrate this moment as a victory because although she lost but the wonderful fact is she has acquired more votes than of the ward president. She got 375 votes."

According to Pampha, there was a huge discrimination and dominations to Dalits due to which they were always in fear even to face and talk with other people apart from their casts. She says that now they have built up their capacities as well as they can now speak in mass with full confidence and etiquette and decorum. She says that in next election she will again stand and with full confident she says that then she will win. Fully inspired by the Tewa's model she has also thought of transition after 5 years and for this she will prepare a second line generation, but before she handovers the position she aims to build their own small office building.

She also adds that the Nepali society is a patriarchal society. Though women constitute more than half of the total population, still we are taken for granted and are discriminated. "One woman can make a difference but together we can bring a change. Man and woman are two wheels of a same cart and development is like a cart with two wheels-one man and one woman". If one of the wheels is not moving, the cart will not go very far. According to Pampha- their husbands supported them to come out of the room and created a beautiful environment for them to work for the Dalit community, and likewise they also made their husbands to feel proud of their wives. Pampha says, "These days rather than I knowing by the name of my husband, my husband has become famous by my name and he feels proud of that.  I am against all forms of discrimination promoted by the society. I understand that both men and women are human beings. "