FILM:
These women are survivors who instead of passively accepting their situation, have confronted their issues and fought for their self respect, emerging as independent women.
They came together as groups/ community which in turn united to make a large structure that acted as an umbrella (enormous rainbow coloured) for all of them.
(You are the spoke, you are the wheel)
kabir:
a drop in the ocean; this everybody knows,
the ocean in the drop; the rare one knows....
CD COVER:
Booklet
STORIES OF NARIS
The title
PAGES 2&3
Bijapur (Kannada: ವಿಜಾಪುರ) is a district in the state of Karnataka in southern India. The city of Bijapur is the headquarters of the district, and is located 530 km northwest of Bangalore. It was established in the 10th-11th centuries by the Chalukyas of Kalyani and was known as Vijayapura (City of victory). The city came under the influence of the Khilji Sultanate in Delhi by the late 13th century and was later conquered by the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga. By this time the city was being referred to as Vijapur or Bijapur.
(Map showing Bijapur, migration of banjaras to bijapur)
(Use craft/ embroidery/ colours + landscape in visuals)
The Banjaras (also known as Lambani) are a travelling tribe originally from Rajasthan, and over time, have spread across India. Their name comes from sanskrit, meaning Vana chara, wanderers in forests. Their habitation, which is always away from the village, is called a ‘tanda’.
Members of the Banjara community of Bijapur can be spotted by their coloured ornaments, bangles and elaborately crafted clothing. Their clothes and accessories are a contrast to the harsh bleak desert conditions of the area.
Sabala, a non- profit organisation dedicated to women empowerment was founded in 1986 by Malamma.
It has, over a period of time strived towards reviving traditional Lambani and Kasuthi crafts. Sabala works in educating and training women and children to minimise migration and child labour and provides an opportunity for income generation. It is currently active in three Taluks of the Bijapur district covering 40 villages and 9 Tandas.
PAGES 4, 5 &6
#1
“Enough learning is never enough”
Shehzad Begum has been working for Sabala for the past 6 years. As a child she had learnt embroidery from watching her mother and sister, and later on picked up crochet and would tailor clothes. A widowed mother of four, she believes that one has to tell the world about one’s skills; otherwise it would die with time. As a person, Shehzad Begum is someone who encourages and embraces anyone who would like to talk to her. She also has an affinity to learn new things and teach the same to others because she feels that there is no point in being idle, and leaves us with a quote, “Enough learning is never enough”.
#2
“I want to show my husband that I also do good work. He should not look down upon me”
Malashree Posuram Rathore is a mother of four school going children. She works at Sabala much to her husband’s discontent. He does not think much of working woman. With a smile on her face, she said that she has made it a point to prove to her husband that she, as a woman can do very well for herself and that too without her husband’s aid. Becoming a part of Sabala has helped her bloom from a mournful to a confident Indian woman.
#3
“Sewing- people usually do not know anything about selling and vice versa. But the women here (Sabala) know of Fair trade and abide by it.”
Bowramma is originally from Angedagere, a village near Bijapur, and was married young at the age of 12 which ended her schooling. Her husband died within a year, leaving her to fend for herself. Her heart wishes her to go to school and learn more, but her husband’s family would not allow it. Bowramma decided not to remarry but help her mother support her five younger sisters. She wanted to give them an education she never had a chance at. With some prompting from Malamma, she was encouraged to put the tailoring and embroidery skills she had acquired at home, to use.
She has been working for Sabala for the past nine years where she was given training in Kasauthi and
jewellery -making. Independent and proactive, she tries to learn from anything she can get her hands on.
PAGE 7
Sangam
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
-Henry Ford
These women who have shared tragic pasts and stories have something that links them together; Sabala bridging the gap even more.
They are independent now and want to take charge of their lives. One way they do this is by forming small self help groups (SHG) within their communities. Some of them have even named their groups such as, ‘Santoshi Maatmera Abmoli Sangh’, one which is named after their god. Since there is no higher authority, they take charge and run the whole group. It is a big responsibility, and they enjoy doing it.
The group have weekly meetings where they discuss and find solutions to problems that they face, ranging from drainage, water, work to their personal lives. They also contribute to a common bank account each time they meet. The money in the bank is loaned out to people when in need.
Instead of battling it alone, they come together, under one umbrella and support each other.
Quotes:
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
-Henry Ford
"All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop."
— Kabir
No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.
-John Donne
Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.
-Kenyan Proverb
PAGE 8
Malamma- Founder of Sabala
Sushila Shivaji Rathore
Malashree Posuram Rathore
GanguBai Nemu Rathore
Shehzad Begum
Bowramma
Lalitha Subhash Rathore
Neelam Pom Singh Rathore
Laxmi Mallu Jadan
BACK
The Stories of Naris is a series of short films documenting the lives of women who have been empowered by voluntary organisations. This particular one is based in Bijapur, an arid district in Karnataka. Here, there are the Lambani or Banjara tribe, rehabilitated widows, and economically backward women who have been trained to learn a skill and translate it into productive activities that generate income. This is facilitated by an NGO named Sabala.
These women are survivors, who instead of passively accepting their situation, have confronted their issues and fought for their self respect, emerging as independent women. They come together in small groups, which in turn unite to make a large community where they help and support each other during times of trial.
Sabala, a non- profit organisation supporting fair trade. www.sabalaindia.com
WEIGO is a global action-research-policy network with institutional and individual members in 30 countries. It is currently undertaking a project which relates to MDG3: to promote gender equality and empower women. The project aims at improving the visibility, voice and viability for women in the informal economy. www.wiego.org
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