|
Anyone who rates women as weaker sex should read
the statement of former British Prime Minister Mrs. Margaret Thatcher in
which she said, “A lady who can successfully run a family and
understands its problems can also understand the problems before a
nation.” There can be no doubts over the role of women in development
of a powerful, capable, educated and confident society. Need of the hour
is to give them opportunity to polish and sharpen their skills, and let
them utilize their capabilities by working in a competitive and
challenging atmosphere. The society needs to encourage its ladies so
that they can confidently use their talent and capabilities, and rise.
Women’s empowerment is one of Sewajyoti’s
fundamental objectives. Strengthening the hands of women
in a family results in empowerment of the family itself as an educated
and empowered women contributes in economic well-being of the family,
encourages children into education, keeps the surroundings disease-free,
and ensures a cordial, positive atmosphere inside boundaries of the
house. Families where women are economically strong are generally more
successful and vibrant the ones where they are oppressed or ignored.
  Women’s
empowerment programmes run by Sewajyoti can mainly be divided into three
categories: 1) providing training and financial help to women for
self-employment, 2) Helping them get jobs under various government
schemes, and 3) Spreading awareness on important issues pertaining to
women, and motivating them to acquire professional skills of different
kind. Our volunteers also help them in routine tasks such as opening a
bank account and getting a credit card. Women covered under our
programmes learn to use and operate different kinds of things; from a
sewing machine to a computer.
Seventy four self-help groups have been established
in different villages to motivate rural village to develop a habit of
saving and then use saved amounts for self-employment. Such women also
receive help such as opening of bank accounts and securing bank loans.
Professional upliftment programmes are being run in
villages of Nawalgarh tehsil since September 2006. Under this project,
sewing training centres have been opened in 10 villages. In every
village, 40 women are getting benefited from the training programme each
year.
With the help of NABARD, Sewajyoti provided
training in readymade garments, soft toys and leather products in
Badwasi village since September 2007.
  Thirty two women of village Basava were trained in
leather product making under a Home Industry Scheme supported by
District Industry Centre, Jhunjhunu, in October 2008. Similarly, 25
women from economically poor families were trained under Swarna Jayanti
Rural Employment Scheme.
In September 2007, 25 women of village Birol were
provided computer training. Similar training programmes were conducted
for 25 women and 29 girls of village Badwasi.
Sewajyoti is running Asha Sahyogini training camps
with the help of District Health And Medicine Department since 2006.
Hundreds of women have been trained under this programme.
In 2005, Sewajyoti had conducted midwife training
programmes in villages Barva, Khojas, Kairu and Devgaon (Nuan). During
this, three women of each village were trained in safe deliveries.
150 women have been helped in getting artisan
credit cards from district industries department.
Sewajyoti has trained 23 women of Udaipurwati area
in show-making under Swarna Jayanti Employment Scheme. We also created
five self-help groups and provided training to make Rakhis and Buntis.
Dozens of such programmes are carried out by the organisation in the
village of Jhunjhunu district throughout the year. |
