VST News : Winter 2006

PEOPLE POWER COMES OF AGE

Tony Huckle explains how VST's women’s federations are starting to flex their muscles

'Women have got to come together, be united and demand tough action'
Guruvathai, Theni District women's federation president

Mrs Thatcher once famously – and controversially – said: “There is no such thing as society, only individuals and families.” If she cared to visit Theni district in south India I think we could give her cause to think again. For there we are building society – or at least social structures – and very powerful ones too.

These structures are about the empowerment of poor women: about raising living standards, fighting inequality, gaining political power and overcoming injustice.

And it is by working together that these aims can be achieved. Alone rural women experience low pay, male domination, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, low self-esteem, lack of hope. Together they can earn more, fight discrimination ag- ainst women and Dalits, build a new future.

This coming together starts at village level. Around 20 women form a self-help group. They pool their savings and the group makes loans to members. As a group they can get bank and government loans to finance small enterprises. They meet and discuss the daily problems they experience; support each other and stand up for their rights.

But this is only the start. All the groups in a particular locality send representatives to a body known as a ‘cluster’. And from each cluster there are represen- tatives to a federation.

In Theni district we work with 828 self-help groups, 38 clusters and seven federations. Each federation is linked with an NGO whose professional development workers give guidance and support. And at the top there is a federation of federations – Theni District Federation.

This structure is not unique. Across India and much of the developing world there are many thousands of such groups.

We have been working with the Theni self-help groups for more than a decade, carefully nurturing their development. We have seen the federations start from nothing but in time discover their power to change the lives of their members. Our attention is now focused on developing the capabilities of the federations so that one day they can function independently.

The federations hold meet- ings attended by the repre- sentatives from the clusters. They elect leaders and often appoint staff, such as account- ants. They may rent offices and control substantial amounts of funds. They can mobilise thousands of women to attend a demonstration or rally. They can bring pressure to bear on uncooperative officials or lobby the district authorities. They monitor loan repayments and make sure credit is used properly. And because they ensure funds are not misused they can obtain serious amounts of credit for small businesses such as keeping cows or goats, a village shop or tailoring work.

Like all human enterprises, the federations often have problems. Some federations are very good; others less so. There can be personality clashes and disagreements. Some may fail to throw up good leaders. Sometimes lack of literacy can limit what leaders can achieve. But it has also been noticed that illiterate leaders can have remarkable clarity of thought and purpose.

The NGOs can help when things go wrong by providing support and not letting difficulties get out of hand. The NGOs strengthen the federations in so many ways: by providing training in leadership, management, accountancy, in demonstrating how to approach police and other government officials, and how to use the legal system. The NGOs are a further source of credit in the form of a revolving fund that is lent and relent to group members. This fund is managed by the federations.

The training the NGOs give also addresses political and social concerns. It encourages women to enter local politics as candidates, voters, campaigners and participants at public meetings. This not only raises their standing in the community but enables them to press for the resources of local councils to be used to help the poor. Further training sessions tackle issues surrounding women’s position in society head-on, confronting traditional attitudes that condemn women to second-class status and even organising sessions with husbands of self-help group members to recruit them to the cause of gender equality. The training challenges too the treatment of Dalits, particularly the Arunthidiyar community – the Dalits of the Dalits. And the training can include more practical matters such as health by improving understanding of diseases such as TB and HIV/Aids.

VST has funded the NGOs in Theni district that built these federations through its Network Theni programme. The five years allotted to Network Theni are nearly up. But the social structures we have built stand on firm ground. We will continue to provide support for the self- help groups and their federations for as long as is needed. With the help of our supporters, that is.

Some recent achievements…

• Filed 10 high profile and publicised legal cases concerning sexual harassment, dowry demand, untouchability (3), infanticide, child ‘selling’, medical negligence, misuse of water reservoir, milk sales licence. Another nine cases are pending and 22 cases were settled informally with the help of the police. Women can now influence traditional male village councils and the Panchayats (local councils), for instance for more gender balanced decisions.
• Of the 10 cases, four were related to untouchability and atrocity on Dalits. Significantly there is now more dialogue on untouchability in non Dalit self-help groups willing to show solidarity
• A random survey of self-help groups showed members’ assets and income had risen, their housing was better, community toilets had been built, there was reduced high interest loans/ relief from debt, more children studying and girls in higher education, less child labour, better understanding of women’s and Dalit rights, increased power for women at home and in their villages.
• Fewer instances of female infanticide. Federations report having saved 47 girls – of these, 33 are with parents, 10 are adopted and three were handed over to government facilities. Last year’s impression that infanticide has been reduced has been reinforced. At least among self-help group members there is a changed attitude to girl children
• Arunthidiyar (Dalit) activists filed cases under the controversial Prevention of Atrocity and Protection of Civil rights Acts to obtain compensation for victims. They held the first Arunthidiyar demonstration in the district, changed three cases booked as “accidents” (two changed to murder and one to incitement to suicide), forced a tea shop to stop serving them in separate glasses, booked two cases of sexual abuse, two cases of illegal high interest loans, and acted in four cases of violence. Although court action could not always be taken there is a new feeling that Arunthidiyars can no longer be interfered with impunity and the formerly cowed community are more willing to stand up for themselves.
• Domestic violence cases addressed increased from 55 to 75, a result more of openness on addressing this issue than to an increase in incidents. There is a strong impression that the involvement of the women’s groups does deter such cases and it certainly often alleviates the problem for the individual women.
• Large numbers of women have received credit. An internal review studied 171 new enterprises and found that 60% were receiving regular profit (for some others it is too early to say). A further study of a sample of 201 microentrepreneurs who kept good records (admittedly these are often the more successful ones) nearly all showed regular income of between Rs40 – 62 per day – double the daily farm work wage for women.

FEDERATION LEADERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Ruth Dalton remembers 30 years with Village Service Trust

Ruth Dalton

I remember very clearly my last view of three young backpackers disappearing among the crowds of Charing Cross station on the first lap of their journey to India… the ‘hippy trail’ that was to lead one of them to a life that he could never have foreseen.

That young man was my son, John.

For some three years his letters gripped us with tales of his adventures (well perhaps not quite all of them!) until he came home determined to make India a part of his life, to return there to find something he hoped would be both useful and fulfilling.

In 1977 he arrived at Seva Nilayam, a medical centre deep in the countryside of Tamil Nadu in south India where he met Dora Scarlett. He asked her if there was anything helpful he could do. “So, what can you do?” she asked. “Well, er… my training is in computers.” “Hmm. Let’s go for a walk.” said Dora. They stopped by a field where John picked up a hoe and started to grub up weeds while they chatted. Dora took note of this she told me afterwards!

“Right! You can stay for a few months and we’ll see.”

He stayed at Seva Nilayam for five years! In 1982, at Dora’s request he founded Arogya Agam and guided it from its beginnings as a centre for leprosy treatment to its present wider concerns with health and development among the poorest and most marginalised people of the area.

During these years I was able to visit John frequently, to get to know Dora well and to understand something of their work. In the early days I stuffed envelopes with copies of her unique ‘Letter from Seva Nilayam’, sat with her as she daily prescribed medicines and advice to the hundreds of local village people – I even practised simple wound cleaning and bandaging in the clinic. Later, at Arogya Agam, I was able to travel round with the staff there, sit in on meetings, watch with admiration the increasing confidence of women in their village groups and, importantly, learn something of the problems too.

One big problem was funding of this work. I decided to do what I could, and over the years raised money by various means. The most financially rewarding was through appeals to trusts that seemed to have interest in our work in India. These I discovered by studying appropriate directories in public libraries. Most of these appeals were stabs in the dark, but those that were interested proved ‘friends’ too, and I was often invited to attend their functions and build up a personal rapport.

Then there were smaller charitable groups, churches, Rotary clubs, Soroptimists, Quakers, where I gave talks and showed photographs and slides. Their donations, both large and small, were always welcome.

Frequently there were individuals who showed a particular interest and who, over the years, also gave most generously.

‘Events’ were organised with the help of good friends; one of the most successful a vast book sale held annually in a prestigious Southport arcade, which always raised over a £1,000. I even once went to the lengths of sitting there, cross-legged, in a sari with a begging bowl for contributions. However, regretfully, I was moved on! It was an experience to know just a little of how it feels to have passers-by at leg height either bend down or look the other way.

‘Thank you’ letters were very important and often led on to a quite personal exchange. I was glad to have learned how to operate a computer!

To go back in time, before John’s arrival at Seva Nilayam, there had been, amongst other volunteers, Tony Huckle and Bryan Osbon who, after two years volunteering there decided that something more should be done to fundraise and so founded Village Service Trust in London in 1976.

It was invaluable to have VST to support my own efforts as I was able to assure donors that their money would be going to a registered charity. They were always pleased to hear about a relatively small trust where their contributions would receive proper feedback with a personal touch.

I was especially pleased to be invited to be a trustee myself – one of five others who all had experience of the work in India. We were more than ‘trustees’ though I discovered – we became friends. I was the ‘Granny’ of course, but always treated as an equal! We held our committee and supporter meetings in various London halls and it was always a great joy to see and to chat with many of our donors on these occasions.

We also met for weekends at Tony’s house in Cambridgeshire – it was good to have plenty of time for discussion, and we were always very grateful to Tony’s wife, Rosemary, for putting up with our invasion.

The work in India was increasing as our partners there spread their wings. And so of course we had to find more of the ‘needful’ to support them. It was a time of great decision making – did we remain a very small trust or did we spread our wings too?

We took the plunge and appointed a salaried employee. Angela joined us and we knew that it had been a good decision! She gave us seven years of devoted work in the tiny office we rented in Brixton, spent regular periods of time with our partners in India and became a good friend too! She had a small flat in Brixton and it was subsequently there that we met, spread our sandwich plates out on the floor and drank endless cuppas as we discussed our affairs. She also provided a bed and breakfast for me and became another ‘granddaughter’. We wish her well in her new job in Ghana and hope that she will become a trustee on her return. And now we welcome our new Programmes Manager – Ruth Whitbread.

Sadly, my increasing years and a spell of bad health has meant my retirement from VST. I shall greatly miss the opportunity of working with the Trust, seeing old friends and meeting new trustees. However, they have promised to keep me in touch with all the activities which have been such a long, I hope useful, and happy part of my life.