Juna: A community role model

She is in her second term chair of Madi Utthan Samaj, a community organisation under several groups that was created under SUS’s project. Once she became chair, she has been engaging in various awareness raising initiatives about sanitation, worked to mitigate caste-based discrimination, violence against women and several violence based on gender.

Juna Ranamagar, resident of Chitwan Madi, South Ayodhyapuri, feels that she lived two lives. In her first life, she did not have any identity of her own. She had to do all household chores. Similar was the status of other local women. All of the women were scared of speaking with new people in the locality. She said, “we would hide in the bushes when we see some new person approaching towards.”

Many orgasinations would come and go in her locality. She would hear that the organisation would give training to her, help bring changes in the community. But she never knew what those trainings would do.

Once, the SUS representatives came to her village to form some groups. She felt that SUS would do nothing like other organisations. She received several trainings of capacity development, leadership development, entrepreneurship training and realised that SUS is intending to motivate them to uplift their life.

Many children from Juna’s village would not go to school. The Ethnic and Dalit parents would be busy in household chores and they did not know that its urgent to send their children to school. Once she attended the training given by SUS, she knew the importance of education. She also knew that women too have human rights, if they are fearful in putting their voice, it would put them under privilege, having some income could generate confidence in life, women can also work for the welfare of the community. She knew many things.

Once Juna received many trainings offered by SUS, she felt that her lost confidence came back to her. She feels she is living a new life after she attended such training. She said, “Now I do not feel shy to greet people. I can speak and put voice. Nobody can dominate me. I realised these things.”

She told, “Earlier, there was violence and quarrel, and caste-based discrimination in every household. Once they are convinced, the number of such incidences of violence and caste-based discrimination has been decreasing.”

She managed to train local women sewing trainings arranged by SUS. After receiving the training, many women have bought sewing machines and started their entrepreneurship. They have been earning on their own. She said, “Whatever the amount they earn, the income generation and the skill mount the confidence of women.”

She helped a woman facing domestic violence and put in her home for 9 months and kept on supporting her. She alarmed the woman’s husband not to repeat the violence. She also shared the importance of birth certificate, citizenship and other government related documents to the local women from the group. She said, “Now it’s compulsory to have a birth certificate once the baby is born. Many people have already understood the importance of citizenship.”

Because of her leading capacity in society, Juna’s social recognisition has been greatly changed. A school established in support of SUS; Dakshin Ayodhyapuri Aadharbhut Primary School has put her in the chair of teachers committee. Not only this, she is a member of the school construction committee. The local women go to meet Juna whenever they face some problem. Juna also tries to discuss with them and solve the issue at the local level. The problems like violence against women, caste-based discrimination, blame of which to woman is taken to ward office or police office by Juna herself. Juna said, “Now, I am no longer afraid of speaking.”