No worries of government documents

Pawan Kumari Majhi and Sumindar Majhi from Haripur-8, in chering faces after getting Citizenship Certificates. Samari Utthan Sewa has supported more than 300 individuals from landless Dalit and marginalized communities to obtain Citizenship and land rights certificates in Mornag, Sarlahi and Chitwan district.

“My other children can work but this disables son cannot. I was worried about his future. Now, I do not worry once SUS helped making identity document for my son.” -Hegen Marandi, Kanepokhari-2, Morang

Many people, from the area where various programs of SUS have been running, did not have various documents like citizenship, documents needed for allowance for elderly, people with disability and làlpurà. Lack of these documents had created difficulty for them to get government support. Many people were facing difficulties to move ahead only because they did not have citizenship.

Philip Marandi from Morang Kanepokhari, Rural Municipality 2 could not speak by birth and lacked good hearing capacity also. Because of such physical problems, he could not attend school. He was engaged in helping parents at home. Some facilitators from SUS knew about it and they shared this with Philip’s parents: the government provides a monthly allowance to people with the disability like Philip. His father Hegen shared, “I knew that the government gives some allowance to the people with disabilities. But we did not have an identity document the government provides.” SUS took Philip to Koshi Zonal Hospital and arranged for the documents required. And, in support of SUS, the local government gave the identity card of people with disability to Philip in 2 Shrawan 2074. Philip is receiving the allowance every four months now as he has the identity card. Hegen said that he is able to manage basic expenses from the money, 6400 rs, for his disable son. He shared, “my other children can work but this disables son cannot. I was worried about his future. Now, I do not worry once SUS helped making identity document for my son.”

Many Musahar community people from Haripur Municipality-9, Sarlahi did not have citizenship certificates. The option of going abroad to earn money was halted due to lack of citizenship certificate. The elderly people could not get an allowance provided by the government. Many kids did not have their birth certificate so they had difficulty in getting admission in school. Once SUS created a women’s group, the citizenship making thing was prioritised. So, more than 12 locals got their citizenship. Many have flown abroad to earn money once they got their citizenship.

“I got to see làlpurjà and citizenship now. I am happy because now I am the owner of whatever amount land I have.” -Paltu Majhi, 73, Haripur-4, Sarlahi

None of the family members of Balkumari had citizenship certificates. Her father-in-law, mother-in-law did not have either. So, her husband also did not own citizenship. Balkumari was married at an early age, she also did not have a citizenship certificate. She shared, “many people from our area did not have birth certificates, marriage certificates, or citizenship. It was not possible to make passport as people did not have citizenship. So, they could not go abroad where they could earn better. As an option, they would go to Punjab, India in search of some work.”

SUS supported to make citizenship of her in-laws who were above 50 years old. Then, her husband and she herself got citizenship. Once her husband got the documents, he went to Saudi Arabia and came back to the country with some earnings. She said, “once we are connected to SUS, we know about the importance of citizenship and birth certificate documents.”

“Many people from our area did not have birth certificates, marriage certificates, or citizenship. It was not possible to make passport as people did not have citizenship. So, they could not go abroad where they could earn better. As an option, they would go to Punjab, India in search of some work. Once we are connected to SUS, we know about the importance of citizenship and birth certificate documents.” – Balkumari Majhi, Haripur, Sarlahi

Among dozens of SHGs formed under the SUS’s project, one is Bikash Woman’s Group that is in Haripur Municipality 4, Musahar tole. Raju Devi Majhi, the leader of the group said that before SUS told us, nobody knew about the importance of government documents like, birth/marriage/death/citizenship certificate. Many people got their citizenship with the help of SHG’s. Many people listed their name in the voter’s list. Now, they have understood that they have rights in the services the government provides.”

SUS has also helped in providing land certificates to those who have been residing in non-registered land since long. Paltu Majhi, a resident of Haripur 4, and his family had been living in the non-registered land for 3 generations in their hut. They have been using the land since ages but have no rights to use the land. They got the làlpurjà for 4.5 dhur land with the support of SUS some 8 months back. At 73 years old, Paltu started to get an allowance for elderly people once SUS helped her make a citizenship certificate. She shared happily, “I got to see làlpurjà and citizenship now. I am happy because now I am the owner of whatever amount land I have.”

“Many people got their citizenship with the help of SHG’s. Many people listed their name in the voter’s list. Now, they have understood that they have rights in the services the government provides.” -Rajudevi Majhi, Chair, Bikash Woman’s Group, Haripur, Sarlahi

A local, Bhikhani Devi Musahar’s family has been residing in non-registered land for three generations. SUS helped the family to get làlpurjà of 00104.40 square meter land. Bhikhani shared that, once she got the làlpurjà, she was restless for many days, because of happiness. She said, “Now I am sure that nobody can chase us from our land.”