Sahasi Girls program has been running successfully in Khushipura village for more than a year now; the girls have increased access to education, knowledge regarding their rights and SRHR and they are now advocating for their rights as well. However the feeling of community and a connection among themselves seems to be lacking; to cater to this challenge, we at Sahas Foundation decided to organize a community building session for Sahasi Girls. The primary objective of this workshop was to inspire girls to engage in self-evaluation, learn that it’s not necessary to identify themselves with achievements and learn to appreciate each other as well. This can be a start to bring in the value of community.
The
workshop began with brief introduction, agreements and a gender riddle. It was
amazing to witness a young girl crack the gender riddle as soon as the
facilitator finished saying it. In our experience of engaging with the students
studying in one of the best universities, women and activists with lot of
knowledge fail to answer this riddle however this young girl who has been part
of our programs since last year could overcome gender related stereotypes and
answer it correctly.
In
the first activity, the girls were invited to engage on three simple questions.
For the statement – 3 good things they have done in the day, or past
week or month, the responses were –
‘I
went to the school, started studying for class 11th and you came
today to be with us was the best thing’
‘I
helped a girl in my school. She had come for the first time and seemed scared,
so when she asked me what is being taught here, I told her to come sit with me,
and then helped her’
‘While
I was on my way to the school, I saw a boy who was injured. I helped him get up
and dropped him till his house.’
‘I
passed in 10th class, you did the workshop where we learnt a lot of
things.’
‘I
enjoyed teaching students in the school, I like sitting with you and engaging
in the conversations.’
‘One
of the girls in my school didn’t bring her lunch, so I shared my food with her.
That is one good thing I did.’
‘We
play game of antakshari every Saturday in our school, I won with the maximum
points.’
‘I
worked hard to study in the class, I completed all my class work in due time
and I was not disrespectful to anyone’
‘My
mother was not feeling well one day, she asked me not to go to school. I
refused and said that I will go to school. When I came back home, I also helped
in completing household chores.’
In
the next part, they were asked to write on 3 things they are grateful
for –
‘My
parents and I get this opportunity to come and participate in the workshops.’
‘My
family and I am not getting married. Thank god!’
‘The
good thing about my life is I am able to get education’
‘I
am grateful that I have finally gotten 11th class books’
‘I
am grateful that you come and organize the workshops for us – otherwise I
wouldn’t have gotten this opportunity to go to school’
It
was challenging for the girls to write the answers for the first two questions
primarily because these things are never part of conversation either in schools
or homes especially in rural areas. Secondly, the girls are constantly reminded
of what wrong they have done, or how they can work better rather than
appreciating them. This makes it even harder for them to find good in them.
Again, in life we are so used to and are surrounded by challenges, problems and
issues that we take many good things in our life for granted and forget the
things we are and can be grateful for.
Interestingly
for the third statement, their answers gave us hope because the girls despite
experiencing challenges now have dreams, they are thinking about future and
have aspirations.
‘I
want to continue my education.’
‘I
want to become a school teacher’
‘I
want to complete my education, become doctor and then express gratitude to my
family and didis’
‘I
want to learn computer, and become Police’
‘I
want to do a job after completing my education’
‘I
want to complete my education with good marks. I want to ride a bike’
‘I
want to study so much that no one ever expected me to’
‘I
want to be successful’
‘I
want to become a singer’
‘I
want to study, learn stitching and earn money’
This
activity looked beautiful with the colorful post-ids adorning the chart paper
depicting different aspects of girls’ life in the village. The next activity
involved defining themselves in one word.
Immediately one of the girls said that I am daughter which led to
dialogue on gender and relational identity of girls and women. One of the girls
said that ‘I feel that someone understands me, because of these workshops. No
one in the family has ever understood me or tried to do.’ On the other hand,
one girl said that I don’t even know myself. All of these feelings and thoughts
were relevant and important because this session can be the starting point of
knowing oneself.
Since
the first part of the workshop was focused on self perception, we slowly moved
towards community aspect – where the girls formed concentric circles and one by
one took some time to share one positive quality of each other. There were lot
of giggling and laughing!
The
session closed with strongly voicing some of the affirmations like ‘I will not
compare myself with others’, ‘I am not defined by people’s opinions’ and so on.
The loud voices of girls were a delight to listen to and these self
affirmations will be the guiding force for them in the upcoming times.
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