By SRSO Team
In February 2016, the Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO) started implementation of the European Union funded Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support (SUCCESS) Programme district Qambar-Shahdadkot. The objective of the SUCCESS Programme is to socially mobilise all poor rural women in the district and then to economically and socially empower them to improve their lives and livelihoods.
The story of Noor Bano, whose life was touched by SUCCESS, presents a case study of triumph, and illustrates how social mobilisation can transform lives of poor rural women.
Noor is a resident of village Ali Murad Magsi of district Qambar-Shahdadkot. Around four months ago, when the SRSO team reached her village, she was the first woman to meet the team. She interacted with the team and provided theminitial information about he village. The SRSO team asked her to voluntarily organise a gathering of all community members, including women and men. Noor agreed to support the SRSO team in this endeavour, and began to visit and inform each and every household of the village for the broad-based community meeting.
According to Noor, at that time, the situation in her village was very distressing. Nobody was ready to gather at a single place for a joint cause. The households were fragmented into various groups. It seemed that a joint communal, broad-based, meeting could not take place. The male villagers were particularly reluctant and some of them threatened to physical stop any such meeting.
Noor nevertheless carried on with her household visits and met with women from each house. This brave act of defiance from Noor was acknowledged by the community men who agreed to the holding of only one meeting.,r the team along with all village women. SRSO team conducted the programme introduction meeting. SRSO team presented the social mobilization approach to community-driven development and how it will bring the community together, allow then to harness their own potential by removing constraints that individual households face and that this can only happen if the community agrees to enter into a partnership with SRSO. At the conclusion of the meeting, all women agreed to partner with SRSO. However, some men were still disgruntled.
Few days later, another meeting was organised in the village for Community Organisation formation. The first CO in the village, in Noor’s settlement, was named Khushboo (fragrance). Noor was selected as the CO’s President. Following the CO formation, meetings were held and a savings programme was initiated. At the first meeting, members saved Rs. 1,200. The CO also made their first saving of Rs. 1,200 (Twelve hundred). Noor emphasised the importance of regular meetings and savings. With the passage of time, as the number of meetings increased, so did the volume of saving. Soon the CO had 7,200 rupees, because each member was saving money regularly.
While being fully immersed in CO matters, Noor’s family continued to face a difficult situation. Since Noor’s husband did not have any work, their financial situation was deteriorating day by day. The issue was taken up during one of the CO meetings. Noor told her fellow members that since both she and her husband were unemployed, they are facing a financial crisis. One member asked Noor as to what kind of support she would like from the CO.
Noor said that a loan from CO savings would allow her to set up a small shop in the village and that her husband will help in the management of the shop. Through this effort, Noor’s family can begin to improve their poverty condition. Noor also added that she owns a wooden cabin which was partially damaged by the floods of 2010. The CO members thought that this was a viable option not only to support Noor but also to utilise their savings. Therefore, CO members approved the release of a loan from CO savings to Noor to set up the small shop.
Noor’s husband was pleased with the opportunity and, along with her, went to the market to buy items for their small shop.
Now, both work at the shop, which has steadily become a sustainable source of livelihood for them. Besides managing household chores, Noor also supports her husband in the shop. First two months were difficult but now the family is earning a profit of Rs. 150-200 on a daily. From that amount, the basic need of the family are being met. Noor also manages to save some money in order to repay the loan to CO. Noor plans to repay the loan within the due date. The fellow community members are also delighted to have a small shop which is easily accessible for all. Noor has also added to her small inventory to meet the villager’s need and demand. Noor is extremely excited about her new and permanent source of livelihood.
Noor says that after the CO formation, members realised the importance of saving money. While initially some locals may have had doubts about the potential and impact of the activities, now all doubts are gone. The CO members are meeting and saving money regularly in order to further increase their joint financial pool.
Noor concludes her story, “SUCCESS Programme is a ray of light for us; it has opened our eyes. We have the power of coming together. By coming together, we can do many things on our own”.