Women play a notable role in bringing equilibrium, resilience, and advancement to society but lack of resources, liberty, education have hindered their progress in previous decades.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said ” Noone can make you feel inferior without your consent”. This holds true for women residing in rural areas. Rural women are considered to be great contributors in food security, agricultural production, enterprise and citizenship. They must not delimit themselves only because they live in villages and not in cities.
Nowadays telecommunication (communication over a distance by cable, telegraph, telephone, or broadcasting) has decreased the discrepancy between Urban and Rural areas.
International Day of Rural Women is established by the UN General Assembly to recognise“the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.”
On this International Day of Rural Women , women can start doing these little things to not only empower themselves but to uplift others too.
Because a strong woman is one who uplifts other women too.
You are never too late to learn !
1. If you were deprived of basic education in your childhood,Age is no bar! Start today and gradually begin to learn writing and reading atleast.
2. Getting formal schooling is not very necessary for one to become self independant( though it plays a major role) but broadening your mindset via informal education helps a lot in surviving through this competitive world. You can begin watching news for awareness!
3. For women learning mannual skills is the easiest and the most productive thing that they can do. They can learn skills like tailoring, stitching clothes via khaadi loom weaving, pottery, spinning charkha..
4. Women can come together and form self help groups that play a major role in encouraging each other.
5. There have been several women who have uplifted not only themselves but others too via these self help groups and small businesses.
Dera Sacha Sauda as the name indicates has constantly concentrated on executing truthful and ethical deeds that assist in the upliftment of every portion of the society. The organisation has worked in enhancing the status of transgenders in the society, helping the challenged people and has also emphasised on uplifting women. Metropolitan women have a tremendous advantage over the rural women because of all the facilities available but in the prior few decades rural women have demonstrated great advancement. This organisation has helped rural women in realising their true worth. The followers of Dera Sacha Sauda organise rallies and sessions for women where they are taught about the light that is waiting to glow up their life filled with darkness. They are taught about menstrual hygiene, manual skills like weaving, stitching , handloom and the best part is that their work is not only confined to teaching these skills to them but also providing them with all the resources like sewing machines, handlooms and charkha!
The story of Suman is really inspiring where she lost her father when she was in 10th standard. Her mother was not literate enough to run the family. Through these tough and unfavourable circumstances she passed her 12th and fortunately came in touch with Dera Sacha Sauda where she learnt about stitching and started tailoring. Now she is living a financially stable life. Suman is just one example. There are numerous Sumans that have been empowered and helped by Dera Sacha sauda.
Remember women aren’t fragile. There lies Infinite Strength in women and now is high time to recognise it and make the most out of the available resources.
Great round of applause to all the Rural women who despite of all the constraints and restrictions are not letting their wings chop off.
