Story 3: Anything is possible
Sandhya’s family has enact the idea that sons and daughters should be equal.Sandhya is currently studying in class 10, she is 15 years old and has 1 brother and mother, and it has been 5 years since her dad left home after his second marriage. They are waiting for the father to come. Her mother used to work as a wage laborer to educate her son and daughter, but on day when she did not work, she used to sew clothes at home and cover the household expenses.
Sandhya’s family also came within the working area of this project. Facilitators of the organization used to create separate groups of girls and boys and let them discuss the topics they were interested in. In the beginning, Sandhya did attend the meetings regularly, but her mother did not think it was good for her daughter to go out like this. Due to which they started to become irregular.
As Sandhya was busy with household chores and did not attend the meetings, the facilitator explained to her and her family about the importance of the group. They did not send their daughters due to fear of insecurity because there was no father at home. The organization conducted training on self-defense, child rights, protection issues, sexual and reproductive health and useful life skills development in every teenage group meeting and also discussed the topics of their interest.
In the group meeting, she started openly discussing her changes. After that, Sandhya’s mother and brother also joined the group formed by Aawaaj and realized that each other’s supporting role is necessary. When Sandhya was studying in class 9, she got more encouragement to study after she received school house dress, bag, cup and pen from Aawaaj and she went to class 10 with good marks in class 9.
Along with studies, in extracurricular activities as well, in group meetings, she learned that one should not get married before the age of 20, and learn that there should be no discrimination between sons and daughters. She would also go to the meetings and teach the learned things at home. The family of three became hardworking and friendly. After telling her that interlock machine was necessary as she only had a sewing machine in her house, Aawaaj bought an interlock machine to facilitate income generation.
When the number of people sewing clothes started increasing, Sandhya’s brother started helping her with the housework, and started using one of the rooms in the house for sewing clothes. Sandhya’s brother used to work in a garage shop in the market, when there was no cloth season.
Sandhya’s mother Virma Kumari said when she met us, “I want my son and daughter to be good people, my husband didn’t came back, my relatives used to say what are you waiting for after getting married, but I didn’t think it was right to get married . I bought a sewing machine, otherwise, people who say that women can’t do anything are shocked when they see that I manage my expenses with my own efforts and my sons and daughters are also studying well.