STORIES |
VARHAD proves
to be a real friend to Lata who stands awaiting for justice! |
Lata and her entire
family received help from VARHAD. Her husband was victim of local
politics. He was murdered by local political goons. She narrates
her experience to us. |
After my husband died, I was
running the family. But, of course, I am a widow and so I am a butt
of laughter for the village elder men. I could not tolerate their
infliction and so I came back to my maternal place. Here I was to
encounter another tragedy. Jayshree, (my elder daughter) was raped
by a boy in the village. She got pregnant. I went to the boy’s
house to request him to marry my daughter. Initially he agreed. |
| One day, the father of the boy who raped my daughter
was murdered. Then the boy and his family members blamed us for this
murder. |
| I am perplexed! What is the truth? Why that a
poor is always branded a criminal? What wrong did me and my family
commit? |
| I am put in Amravati Prison as an Under Trial &
Jayshree (my daughter) is in observation home and she was pregnant
then. Kishor and Rajshree (my other son & daughter) were outside. |
| When Lata came across with VARHAD’s
workers at prison, she requested for help and narrated the whole story.
Our workers visited her home first and analyzed the problem well before
handling the case to the lawyer. Then we met her daughter Jayshree
in observation home at Nagpur. Now this time, Jayshree is a young
(minor) mother. She has given birth to a girl child. |
| My other concern was about the education of Kishor
& Rajshree. I had a detailed consultation with VARHAD workers
regarding their education. VARHAD suggested for institutional education
where needs of regular food was solved along with education. VARHAD
admitted my children in Shivaji institute at Amravati. |
| Kishor did exceptionally well in his studies. Now
he is selected for the BSF services. He is in his military training.
I am quite ok now after VARHAD’s intervention at multiple levels. |
| Because of the extensive work of VARHAD, Lata was
acquitted from the charges recently. Rajshree is still institutionalized.
Jayshree got married this year! |
| |
| Life turns hostile
on poor Sangita! |
| Sangita is differently abled and she is
totally dependent on her parents. She is married. But her husband
has deserted her. Now, she is at her parent’s home. She speaks
about her experience with VARHAD . |
| “People in the society always talk bad
about women who are deserted by their husband. Mind you, I am differently
abled. So the talk of the town is double. Then it happened one day,
when my mother started to quarrel with me. She said,” it’s
because of you; your other two sisters are not able to get good marriage
proposals”. I was heartbroken, as I didn’t expect it from
my mother. |
| I had no work and whenever I ask some money,
my mother would say “you are not working any things, over that
you demand for money”. Disputes started to grow. |
| I thought, I am responsible for the ill fate
and the disputes. I wanted to finish my life. I lighted myself after
pouring kerosene on my body. Unfortunately or fortunately I didn’t
die. I was arrested for attempt to commit suicide”. |
| Sangita met VARHAD’s workers in the
prison. She requested VARHAD to convince her mother for Bail. The
social worker visited her mother as soon as possible. Her mother was
so sorry for the events that happened. |
| Her mother explained: “I am her mother
and for me, all daughters are the same. Financial condition of my
family is very poor; I am the single earning member for the family.
But daily work is not available here and her father is too old. Hence
it is too hard to live a decent life in the society”. She cries
aloud, “I am living only for my daughters”. |
| “Basically I was angry on myself. She
became the victim. But I never thought that she will try to commit
suicide. Please take my daughter on bail. |
| VARHAD worked for her Personal Bond and
she was released on 29-5-07. VARHAD arranged for a loan for Sangita
to establish a small kirana shop. Now she is happy and living a joyful
life. |
| I’m an Entrepreneur
!!! |
| Pratibha resides at Sanjay Gandhi Nagar
No. 2, Amravati. She spoke about her life changing events in an exclusive
interview with our Editorial Team. |
| I am little unfortunate. I could not continue my
education due to my poor family condition. Hardly could I manage up
to 12th standard. I was willing to take higher education, but my family’s
condition did not allow me to go further. I was indeed interested
in pursuing nursing course, but again it’s a matter of money,
right! |
| Then I come across with an Organization called
VARHAD. Social workers of Varhad visit our houses in the slums often.
It was at this time Veena madam (Training Associate, Centre for Entrepreneurship
and Development) convinced me to attend the job oriented fashion designing
course without any cost. I was dumbstruck! |
| Then I started to attend the training. My interest
was increasing day by day. I was doing all the homework given by the
trainer regularly. There I was learning many things besides sewing
machine; I was witnessing my entire personality getting developed
and molded. Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development didn’t
stop with offering us limited knowledge. We were taught to be skilled
at Jute work, Paintings, etc. |
| Varhad often organizes training camps for women
and youth from the slum pockets. It was in one of the trips that I
learned more about life. It helped me to regain my confidence in life.
Now I can say that I am confident enough to handle any huge storm
in life. |
| After getting over with my training from VARHAD,
I managed a sewing machine with the help of the organization itself.
I became an entrepreneur myself, though at a small level. |
| Can you believe, I am earning up to 3000 Rupees/
Month (60 US $) without investment. I am happy that I am contributing
for my family’s income from last two and half years. I thank
VARHAD for their valuable Support which gave turn to my life forever
with dignity. |
| |
| Kanta speaks out….. |
| I and my husband are serving sentence without doing
any unlawful activity. We are here just because we are poor. I am
repeatedly blamed for what I haven’t done and the trauma I undergo
is unbearable. I am living today in spite of all this because of my
children. “They are my only asserts”, she quips.. |
| I am in a miserable condition in the jail and my
main concern is about my children. I had many questions in my mind
about their education because my relatives can manage food but not
education. “I had lost all hope that my children will be educated
“. But it was then, VARHAD intervened. |
| Now, the only satisfaction is that my children
are getting monetary help from the BALSANGOPAN Scheme from the Women
& Child Development Department, Govt. of Maharashtra. |
| VARHAD have done much more than anybody else to
me that my children are getting rupees 425 per month per child under
the BALSANGOPAN Scheme from Women & Child Development Dept, Govt.
of Maharashtra .I would like to convey my sincere thanks to VARHAD. |
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