Three real-life heroes
Wednesday, 2016/12/07 | 07:40:14
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Samarendu Mohanty, Bidhan Mohapatra, and Sampriti Baruah IRRI Dec 2, 2016 An update on three women farmers in India who were successful in their quest to rewrite their destiny.
Figure: Sukanti Swain, the “Leader,” has become the go-to person in their village for the implementation of any government program. (Photo by Sam Mohanty)
In 2013, we wrote about Sukanti Swain, Sanjukta Naik, and Rabi Pradhan in the eastern Indian state of Odisha (See Breaking the barriers: from housewives to breadwinners). They overcame social obstacles and transitioned from being stay-at-home wives and mothers to being successful farmers, entrepreneurs, leaders, motivators and role models. In this piece, we nicknamed Sukanti Swain the “Leader,” Sanjukta Naik the “Machine,” and Rabi Pradhan the “Fighter.”
Nearly three years later, we went back to meet our three real-life heroes to get an update on their situation. Our first stop was at Sukanti Swain’s house.
The leader’s success
She continues to help her husband with his pakhundi business (making fences using bamboo sticks and using coconut leaves for growing betel plants). In terms of asset creation, she purchased a power tiller using part of a loan from her SHG. She also plans to purchase a mechanical thresher to expand her custom hiring business.
Overall, her economic condition has improved significantly since our last visit. She credits her SHG for giving her a loan for purchasing a power tiller and expanding her husband’s pakhundi business. She estimated her average monthly income from all sources (farming, SHG involvement for government program implementation, among others) to be around USD 600. Apart from the monetary benefits, she also enjoys the high social status she has earned over the years and she has become a role model for many other young women in the village council, locally known as the panchayat.
However, what got our attention was her image and stature as a leader and the value of her services. She has become the go-to person in the panchayat for the implementation of any government program. Government agencies keep her on a retainer for rolling out new programs. Using her as a reference helps needy villagers successfully obtain loans at the local bank.
She has convinced hundreds of women in the panchayat to join an SHG and save money on a weekly basis. In her panchayat, the number of SHGs has increased from 70 to 98. All the women in the panchayat above 18 years old are members of an SHG, including newly-wed daughters-inlaw. This is in stark contrast to the time of her initial involvement in the SHG when women were not allowed to go outside the house and attend meetings, according to Sukanti.
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