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The women of Tharu Tola tribe of Village Bheriyari, Champaran for example chose a life of dignity and respect against huge odds. With only forest produce to sustain this scheduled tribe, till three years ago these women were fighting a losing battle with the age old tradition of liquor making and selling as their only source of income.

In the absence of a viable alternative it didn’t make sense to start with talking to them about the ill effects of liquor production and consumption, especially when it earned them better income than any other venture.

Instead we chose to work with them and let them find their own solutions. Meanwhile we started with the simple.. In a meeting attended by only six women a cleanliness drive of their homes and surroundings was initiated, in return for much needed clothes for their families. The subsequent Cloth for Work activities also focused on similar issues. In each meeting the number of participants grew by 15 to 25 people. By the 5th meeting 70 women came. The women desperately wanted change; exploited since generations this work was clearly not out of choice but for the easy money. Women faced humiliation as anybody would walk in at any time and behave badly with them. Simmering with discontent they had little choice.

Focusing a lot on each family’s basic needs, the talk of quitting liquor slowly started gaining momentum, even as the women were encouraged to take up a lot of cleaning and sanitation work in and around the village. The dynamics started changing. In the 5th meeting, completely arranged by the village women, an open discussion on

A village abandoned structure turned into a Stitching centre under “Cloth for Work”..

Sharing learning's on Sujni making and sewing, Goonj Delhi team members traveled to Champaran…A village abandoned structure

turned into a Stitching centre under “Cloth for Work”.. 

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A

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asked them toths, would weve, knowing w

n a committeenyone violatin

next two monwebs, cleaningused by the vi books.

committed effs, today moreng machines)

Work. Now thei is made at th

A promise fulfil

k place. In onemployment.

o prove their ie give them thwell that som

e was set up tng the pact. T

nths proved tog the area arovillage to buy

forts of the vile than 55 wom). The village e Sujni makinghe sewing ce

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Goonj ful

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to ensure thatThe committee

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filled the co

shared their d

condition thatal for Sujni muld make mor

t no one woue closely mon

test. Under 'Cnd pumps anor the tent ho

s start the Suaining their faot together to

wing centre (we sujni is mad

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re money from

ld make/sell lnitored the ac

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ouse Kit Goon

ujni making woamilies in this o turn an abanwith 4 machine by women

Women g

of reaching

liquor making

llage abstainencome generm liquor.

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k' every housor water outletnj gave them.

ork soon afterwork. We alsndoned struct

nes) supplemein their home

getting down to

raw materia

g. They asked

ed from liquoration source.

village. A penaillage (two pe

ehold got intot, cleaning of A library was

r. While 35 wso started a stture into a stitent each othe

es.

o cleaning are

al for Sujni m

d Goonj to giv

r making for a. We did this t

alty of Rs. 250eople were ac

o sweeping, cwells etc. The

s also started

omen startedtitching centretching center

er; outer layer

eas around the

making..

ve them

at least two to gauge thei

00/- was set ctually fined).

clearing e fine money with 150

d making e (with three under Cloth

r/cover for

eir homes..

r

Tharu Tola was a huge learning ground for us.. Sujni Making (from the last shreds of waste cloth) emerged as a viable income generator in contrast to the social evil of liquor making. We learnt that when it’s about a woman’s dignity and respect she won’t mind rejecting a better income option. We learnt that change calls for walking your talk; bringing and sustaining a viable option not just pointing out what’s right or wrong.. When the nearby villages of Kadamhiya and Sahuriya also prohibited liquor production and selling we learnt that change has its own momentum and multiplier effect, people are smart enough to pick up its threads and spread it.

The biggest learning was off course that when people make their own rules and agree to obey them, they bring about their own change in a non violent, constructive and positive way. That’s probably civil obedience at its best..

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Stitching centers, complementing the Sujni work..