Discipline makes the nation great

On Bombay howrah railway line, koterlia is first passenger stop. Tarpali village is 4 kilometres from railways station. When you enter village, Signboard of high school appears. Maya’s house stands where school boundary ends. A small gate and earthen house inside courtyard greets us along with Maya and her daughter.

MayaBai, is member of Bhavani self help group. The group was formed in 2014 and Maya along with other women of SHG started contributing 100 Rs each per month. The small collective was used to fetch loan from Ravi cooperative federation. The first dose of Rs 40000 lent the group maya opened a small shop at her house. This helps her to earn 300-400 per day. The second credit issued few month back, have been used by other women of SHG for leaf cup-plates making.

Maya ages 45 and is a mother of six. Five daughters Rani, Tijiya, Tiresia, Santoshi and Sarita and one son Santosh. All dourgters have been married except sarita. Son works as building worker, husband as a labour.

What is your husband’s name...? i asked. Shy old lady stretched her hand. “Motilal” was tattooed there. I was made aware of the tradition of not calling husband’s name.

“My husband used to be a potter”- Maya started talking. “But these days who buys pottery and Khappar (mud tiles for roof). We can go for making bricks, but brick furnaces cost too much. All lifetime savings spent marrying daughters, so nothing is left to invest”

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Maya went on – “I started this shop which helps to a lot. Son was not interested to study so now goes to construction sites. Sarita also goes for labour work. Multiple earnings have made situation better. We saved some money, so if we get some credit, we would be able to setup brick furnace after monsoon”

Nothing needed to understand her concern to marry yet another girl. I turned to my colleagues Kriti and Manoj, and asked how their repayment performance was. “Very disciplined sir”- Answered Manoj.

I suggested Maya to apply For 70,000 Rs loan before October, when potteries are high in demand due to Deepawali festival. Additional income from festival will add up to investment in brick furnace. Maya liked the idea and her eyes lit with hope.

We inspected her shop and clicked photographs. Bid Farwell to Maya and family, rode on vehicle for back journey. I heard Manoj asking – “Sir, you generally do not commit loans at field, why you did today”.

“It was your answer Manoj” – I laughed.

Manoj Looked perplexed. So I asked vehicle to be stopped, and made them to stand below a signboard for a photograph. That board said- “Discipline makes the nation great”

The Emotional Professional

Its early july, peak time for Agricultural activities in india. Ashwini Chouhan wakes up by a ringing phone. It is only 6.40 and mobile shows unknown cllaer.  He picks to find someone greeting him aloud . “Sir, I am Krishna Rahtia of taraimaar village ...” “Sir, we are going to sow soya-bean and waited long for you yesterday, you won’t come. Will you please come today??”. Krishna tells he is already at field.

Ashwini answers him apologetically. Yesterday was very hectic, he counseled farmers in different places. But Heavy rain in evening stopped his way to krishna’s filed. He quickly assures that he will be there in one hour and attend his field first thing of day.

A Scholar of Agriculture, Masters in Horticulture, and Lecturer of five years Agriculture collage, now Ashwini chouhan is working in janMitram’s programme named as “Agriculture Development Initiative in Tribal Areas.” The programme is meant to improve land and water usage of farmers, infusing new techniques, changing cropping pattern etc.

We use convergence of government schemes for benefit farmers i.e. MGNREGA, Watershed development, Prdahanmantri krishi vikas yojna, Shakambhari schmes and many other.

Credit support through KCC and and institutionalization through producer’s organization, farmer’s club and Self help groups are important element of program. The program has successfully added 3000+ farmers and help them improve their productivity, soil health, Farm calendar and land use.

Ashwini Chouhan indeed arrived at krishna’s farm. He speaks to his family about sowing of soyabean and other crops. He inspects vegetable and finds pest attack. So He calls neighbouring farmers  and collectively they are advised to use appropriate pesticide.  He collects soil sample and readies to move ahead. His next stop will be Ambetikra village where a group of farmers are already waiting to learn seed intensification in rice.

He recalls his first day in JanMitram headquarter, when he came to see one senior member. “During my interview, I emphasized my knowledge and flaunted difficult agriculture terminologies. What i received was forewarning- First; Make it simple for farmers to understand. Second, we need more emotionals and less professional. The second part he didn’t understood.  

“Today I understand what it means to be an emotional professional”- Ashwini says. “Success of my farmer have become my own success and their plight my own. After spending years teaching books of Agronomy, I now really able to use my knowledge for benefit of fellow citizen. This satisfaction is greatest reward.

He smiles, so does the family of Krishna Rathia. At the moment, sun suddenly came out of clouds and their faces glitter with blessing of god.              

A Father's Dream- A mothers Struggle

Faguram is a small village, 8 km north or Gharhgoda. Its 7 o’clock of morning and Kishori is getting his son, ready for school. She feeds him; puts school bag on his back and straitens his tie.  School van of JanMitram SPS memorial school arrives on the gate. Son, The six years old, Om chouhan waves to mother and rides vehicle. Kishori waves back and stands still, until vehicle moves far and out of sight.  

A daughter of teacher, kishori understands value of education. She came to this village after marrying Danshek Chouhan. Her husband was a son of small farmer having 4 acre land, mostly infertile. So he did part time driving and seasonal business. The couple was blessed with two sons and all was going well. In 2014, they admitted the elder son to JSPS, the best school of area.

Two months later, on August 9^th, 2014 Danshek was working in farm and mansoon was its peak. All of a sudden, There happened light-fire and danshek struck. He died immediately. The thunder and light of almighty have changed whole life of family, Kishori now a widow and children orphaned.          

The young widow started cooking at local Angawadi, and wages kept family afloat. But School fees of Om was big concern. Her children now only reason of her life. She wanted them to get best education but had no way to afford. Reluctantly she approached school and asked for exemption.

Two days later, she was delighted to know that school has accepted her application. School has a program to support such children of poor widows, destitute single mother and she was to be beneficiary of it. 

Since then, Om Chouhan goes to school, wins medals, certificates, claps and appreciations every now and then.

If You ask what he wants to become in future…… ??

“Bank Manager” – snaps young one without thinking.

Kishori Smiles. It was wish of Danshek.

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The Solid, Liquid and Gas

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A large part of the one-room house is occupied by double bed, rest filled with an air-cooler and small TV over it.  Some buckets and utensils on floor, pictures of different goddess on wall. Bed rumbled with Clothes, school bags, books and copies. Cooking is done outside in open, near which is cemented floor for washing dishes. A little distance is a cloth-veiled space, perhaps a bathroom. A beaming Suhila have brought us to show her house. The reason of her proud – It’s her own house.

Just half an hour before, Sushila Sahu was attending customer through a small opening on wall when we arrived. Shop is a lone brick structure of size 8X8 feet, covered by asbestos roof. A sewing machine kept in shop to indicating tailoring also done here. While we talked, an oblivious kid sitting at shop floor was engrossed in studies. I picked his book. It was Class 6^th textbook of science, reading states of matter – Solid, liquid and gases.

As we talked, knew that sushila is married to Thakur Sahu, for 17 years. They have four kids aging 10 to 15, two of them twins. Thakur is a driver and earns little for a family to sustain. Two years back, Sushlia Joined one of our training program to learn tailoring. Then she became Member of Tulsi Self Help Group. Initially the group got credit support and amount was divided among members. Sushila bought a sewing machine with her share. That opened way of Small income by tailoring, and sushila became financially independent.

The second round of credit she started a small grocery shop. By the time second group based loan was closed, Sushila mustered enough courage to apply individual loan. She took 50,000 Rs and invested half in shop, and half in her dream.

The dream was to own a house. After wandering 17 years in here and there, changing rented rooms, her desire to own a house is understandable. The One room house was erected, just behind the shop. These 20 yards are now Sushila’s world. She runs shops, runs sewing business at same place, oversees children, their studies and her house. Her tailoring is good, cost very low hence women from nearby villages also come. Few of them have become permanent customer for grocery. So both businesses are thriving.   

We talked to kids who adore their mother. Eldest Santosh and Daughter Dimpy are studying in class 9. Son wants to become police officer and daughter is determined to be engineer. Younger of twins, Manoj (the science guy) wants to become Doctor, and Mahaveer want to be same whatever manoj will become.

While every kid answered; I noticed colours come and go on sushilas face. I tried to figure her mind. Higher Education to four kids is not easy to afford. With each child shot answer to me, her brain was calculting how she will manage.  Then her eyes rolled towards Manoj who was back to his book, reading “state of matter”.

And then her looks changed. I can see a pacified face. Like gases and liquid of self doubt, are getting replaced by solid determination.

We waved goodbye and left, preying silently for the solid lady.         

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Rural entrepreneurs nurturing programme of JanMitram Kalyan Samiti is helping people like Sushila who are landless, resource less, unskilled and not qualified. Repeated credit access strengthens their business and livelihoods. We hope that this programme will help more shushilas in coming days, to build their house, to educate their children, and to create excellent, cost effective service providers to community.