 Hyderabad, October 23, 2006 -- The women of rural Andhra Pradesh proved once again today that they can be a most potent force for change in poor and marginalized rural communities.
As, Graeme Wheeler, the World Bank’s Managing Director began his India visit with a first-hand look at the challenges of rural development, he heard scores of poor rural women at Ibrahimpally village in Ranga Reddy district speak out about the huge difference the Andhra Pradesh Government's Bank-assisted poverty reduction program - the Indira Kranti Patham (IKP) - has made to their lives. The World Bank is supporting the IKP with two projects totalling US$ 261 million. Mostly uneducated themselves, the women unanimously believed that education is a crucial stepping stone out of poverty. They are therefore concentrating their efforts on equipping their children with a good education, they said. Sitting on the ground in a village home to hear their stories, Wheeler heard Janakamma of Anantapur village tell of how she first took a loan of Rs.150 from the Self Help Group (SHG) to feed her impoverished family. Over the years Janakamma borrowed Rs. 320,000 in all to improve her family's prospects, of which Rs 120,000 went to finance her son's education. Her son is now a certified chartered accountant earning a substantial sum of Rs. 20,000 a month, and his uneducated mother today stands proud and in no further need of assistance. Impressed with the outspokenness and confidence with which they narrated their stories, Wheeler told the assembled women, “I am humbled to see what you have managed to do. I can see the great pride in your eyes as you talk about what you have done, and I recognize the courage you must have shown to achieve this.” “There are many Self Help Groups in countries across the region and the world,” he said, “but the women’s movement in Andhra Pradesh has been the most successful in Asia." “95 percent of rural women in Andhra Pradesh are members of these groups," he added "and they can serve as an inspiration for others to follow." Successful Women are Beacons for Others to Follow Kalawathi - a woman from one of India's most disadvantaged communities who currently heads the Jeevan Jyoti Mahila Sangam SHG - spoke of her sense of empowerment at being able to invest in her sons’ college education. Using her borrowings from the SHG very carefully, Kalawathi has not only supplemented the family's income by buying two bullocks with the funds, but also sent two sons to Hyderabad to earn college degrees so that they can have a better start in life. And, she has converted her dilapidated old shack into a brand new house with many rooms.  Kalawathi's experience has given her unique insight about what makes for success in such an endeavor. Stressing the importance of collective effort she explained that when women come together as a group, they feel more empowered. She went on to add profoundly, “Only when the whole group prospers can an individual stand to gain.”
One group’s achievements can also set off a wave of new aspirations. When asked by Mr. Wheeler whether the success of some women was leading to friction within the community, Kalawathi replied that the opposite was in fact the case. Successful women served as beacons for others to follow, she stated categorically. Her group actively encourages those who come for advice and support and this has motivated others to form groups of their own. Eswaramma, an SHG member, explained one fundamental difference the group has made to her life. Where earlier, she and her family had followed age-old tradition and brushed their teeth with ash, they have now progressed to the more modern method of using toothpaste. Educating Girls and Spearheading Social Change  Moving onto the village primary school, Wheeler saw a normal day in classes 3 and 4. When Praful Patel, the Bank’s Vice President for the South Asia region, wrote a complex addition sum on the blackboard, a bright eyed young girl walked up and without a moment's hesitation solved the problem with ease.
Women’s groups are also spearheading social change. Wheeler heard how the women have joined hands to tackle the spread of dengue fever by educating people on how to protect themselves and prevent the mosquito from breeding. Their groups are also fighting deeply entrenched gender biases, spreading awareness about AIDS, helping distribute contraceptives, and successfully fighting the stigma attached to the disease. An HIV positive woman told of the difference their efforts have made to her life, and how she no longer feels any discrimination. One of the most progressive moves has been the creation of self help groups to empower the disabled. On being asked what message the women want sent out to the political leadership of the state, they confidently replied: We have decided that we want to invest in our children's education and health. This is our decision - and not something that we are open to discussing. But now, another added, the State Government should introduce teaching in English in the villages as this would enable their children to compete successfully with those in the cities who have an undue advantage over them on account of their proficiency in English. The women's message of empowerment has come across loud and clear. Graeme Wheeler, World Bank Managing Director, was accompanied on this trip by Praful Patel, Vice President of the South Asia Region, and Fayez Omar, Acting Country Director for India. Projects: Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project Andhra Pradesh District Poverty Initiatives Project More on Andhra Pradesh Profile of Graeme Wheeler |
RSS