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Ayo Aidari Trust
A team of seven Santhal tribal women
got together and started working with their own community
to improve the lives of the women in 1996. They formed
a trust called ‘Ayo Aidari’ which in Santhal language
means "women’s rights". They have been getting financial
support on and off from different sources but they lack
the capacity and skills to run the organization. The
team’s vision is to empower the Santhal women in a specific
area become literate, improve their health and socioeconomic
status. The team has organized women and mobilized the
focus groups to form themselves into self- help groups,
reaches out some minimal healthcare and conducts awareness
programs. The area the team works in is where poverty,
deprivation and exploitation are most steep. The villages
in Dumka are almost inaccessible by road and the mainstay
of the community in the area is agriculture where the
men are paid Rs.25/- for a day’s work and the women
Rs.20/-. During the time when they don’t have this work,
the women collect ‘kendu’ leaves and make leaf plates
where they are paid Rs.1.50 for 20 leaf plates. The
life situation of the community needs no elaboration.
It is these lives that Agatha Avasti, Munni Hembrom
and Agnes Murmu, the leaders of Ayo Aidari decided to
change. Aware of their limitations in terms of skills
these women are committed and open to learn the strategies,
which will work in the difficult terrain. As program
volunteers of Nirnaya, they have chalked out an action
plan and their quiet determination should yield results.
This determined work is producing results which can be heard and seen. The community women's groups have been able to lobby with the block development office for their identity qualifying them as below poverty line population, opportunity to work as daily wagelabor and access to fair wages. In addition the groups have been able to access loans for carrying out various income generating activities and their interest is particularly agriculture.
Saheli Adhyayan Kendra
This group has its office in Sahebganj district of Jharkhand. The group works in 20 villages of the district with the Munda, Orra and Santhali women to access basic needs.
Nirnaya sees the disconnect between Jharkhand and 'India Shining' section and attempts to keep the endangered communities alive and self sustaining while also making the 'India Shining' segment aware of the wide disconnect.
Priyasheela Besra and her team are a determined set of young women and men working towards their organizational goal.
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