Page 146 - Real English 2024 Book 8

REAL ENGLISH 8

There was no looking back since then for either Fathima or
the enterprising women of Kalva. They started a small bank and
distributed loans for the needy to embark upon any economically

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viable activity. From repairing borewells to self-employment
programmes for women like stitching and embroidery, the
thrift groups started funding many activities. As they realized
the importance of being literate, they started a scheme for adult

literacy, especially female literacy in the village. Child marriages
were rampant before and so were a correspondingly high number
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of teenage widows. Fathima and her team of enlightened women
worked tirelessly to change people’s mindset about personal hygiene
and cleanliness. Adolescent girls were enrolled in literacy classes;
they were taught cycling and were trained in several skills. A day-

care centre for the children of farm labourers called Ammavadi was
also started.
All these programmes gave the women
the courage to face life and transform it
beyond recognition. The women discovered

their inner strength and forged ahead to be
economically independent and to add to
the family earnings. The women who had
suffered injustice in social spheres now stood
by the side of their daughters to get their
rightful place in the world. Transformation

it was, from poverty to sufficiency, from
backwardness to progress and from being
governed to self-governance. The village acquired tarred roads,
check dams to store water and other amenities.
From being slaves of the system, those simple women with

a change in the old mindset had already broken many barriers
to become the beacon light for all those yearning for improving
their lives. Today Kalva has become progressive and is a symbol of
women’s empowerment. It is reaping the fruits of the daring steps
taken by a few poor women with a common vision. The movement
24. capable of working properly
25. widespread for empowering women at the local level reached another milestone
26. the act of making when the government increased the percentage of their reservation
something legally from 33 to 50. It is a formal recognition of women’s equal
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recognized representation in public space and a validation of their good work.

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