Poola Devi has been a SHG leader in her village for more that eight years, ever since SHG formation efforts started in her village in Niwari – an extremely backward area of Bundelkhand. She has grown into the role of a motivational leader after having received training as a Para Legal Worker (PLW) through the Access to Justice Programme. The programme was implemented by Development Alternatives (DA) in Tikamgarh district with financial support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of India. Now Poola writes songs about empowered rural women demanding their rights.

Poola Devi, her husband and children live together on their small farm where they generate food for their own consumption. Additionally, she and her family fall under the BPL category and receive benefits of ration according to that classification. Poola Devi’s family, just like many others with very low levels of income, greatly depend on the benefits and food aid received with the help of their BPL cards. However, the issuing of BPL cards in her village was actually not always based on economic status and many of those who were issued a BPL card for extra benefits did not actually deserve it. This deprived those who were rightfully entitled to the much needed benefits.

Poola Devi noticed these issues. She was also aware that some families in her village were abusing their power to receive more benefits, including the Panchayat members. However, after her PLW training, Poola Devi had the necessary knowledge and the tools to address this issue. She rallied her fellow SHG women and made a complaint during a Gram Sabha meeting. She publicly spoke out against corruption and violations of the law. She took further action and brought this issue to the attention of block level authorities and prompted a reassessment of the BPL distribution. The reassessment of the distribution of the BPL cards in her village found major discrepancies just as Poola Devi had identified. With the supervision of the block level authorities, redistribution was completed according to correct socio-economic needs.

Poola Devi’s work has not ended there. She has also taken an interest in addressing even more controversial issues and is now working on instigating a change in the social mindset regarding the girl child.

Rekha Yadav is living with her parents and two young daughters in a small village in Niwari block. Rekha lived with her husband’s joint family in neighbouring Palera block of Tikamgarh district until her husband’s death in 2009, when she was forced to leave her in-laws’ home with no financial support and no stake in her husband’s property. With little education and limited options, Rekha could not find employment to support her two daughters.

Fortunately, Rekha’s mother Kunyan asked her to return to her parental home, despite the increased financial burden. Rekha became engaged in employment and livelihood enhancement activities with her mother by joining a SHG. They participated in a variety of training activities and were given access to credit through bank linkages. Additionally, they had the opportunity to participate in legal rights and entitlements training through the implementation of the Access to Justice Project financed by UNDP through Development Alternatives.

Rekha was able to utilise her knowledge gained through the trainings by DA on the uses of the RTI in order to identify her claim to the wages that her husband used to receive through his position in the local government. After submitting a RTI application, she was informed of her late husband’s status of employment within 30 days.

As of July 2012, Rekha and Kunyan have taken further steps to ensure access to Rekha and her daughters’ rights. Rekha’s father-in-law had passed away in June 2012 and his property was to be divided. Rekha’s daughters have a right to that property; so Rekha and her mother wanted to ensure that her in-laws honour the law. Through the support of Development Alternatives’ community mobilisers and Community Legal Assistance Partners (CLAP) committee members, Kunyan filed a case with the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) to ensure that the right legal processes are in place for them to demand Rekha’s rights in the property division.

Kunyan’s support for her daughter has been unwaivering. Defying social norms, Kunyan has taken care of her. While Rekha is soft spoken and shy, her mother continues to ensure that her daughter doesn’t give up the fight. Additionally, Kunyan also works to help other women in her village by ensuring their access to old age, widow, and other social security schemes. Villagers respect this mother and daughter duo for empowering marginalised women. q