Last week I was asked to attend the Aam Sabha betek, that is, bi-yearly meeting of the Gram Panchayat, in the village of Suralgaon. I had never been to Suralgaon. In terms of preventive health organizing, it is not one of the villages where CHIRAG is active. Kundun da, the Gram Pradhan had asked me to come to help organize the health committee that the panchayat had formed on its own. I thought it was a pretty cool opportunity, even if it meant me going on my own, and subjecting the villagers of Suralgaon to my still rough Hindi.
After ten months however, of organizing with communities on public health issues, trying to build a culture of action and prevention, and struggling to try and make some impact, I felt that just maybe, whatever I could bring from my experiences could be of some possible benefit.
When I arrived, the meeting had already started and I sat and listened as several different issues were discussed. The room was full, with around 40 people sitting tightly on the floor of a village community center. The majority of discussion revolved around water, or rather the dangerously low amount of water available these days (see New World Water). The lack of water actually has been a huge problem here, with the monsoons already delayed by more than two weeks. The talk was of hand pumps, and setting pipelines, and trying to manage with what little water was available in the village.
When I arrived, the meeting had already started and I sat and listened as several different issues were discussed. The room was full, with around 40 people sitting tightly on the floor of a village community center. The majority of discussion revolved around water, or rather the dangerously low amount of water available these days (see New World Water). The lack of water actually has been a huge problem here, with the monsoons already delayed by more than two weeks. The talk was of hand pumps, and setting pipelines, and trying to manage with what little water was available in the village.
The discussion moved to encompass certain government yoganas (schemes), including the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), a legal guarantee of 100 days of employment doing public work. The act is aimed to benefit the rural poor through providing work at the fixed minimum wage. Government programs to assist local farmers were also introduced by the Gram Vikas Adhikari, a government representative from the block level. Different sorts of issues were raised, as well. One man brought up the fact that there was no footpath that goes to his house, and whether the panchayat would be able to help facilitate the construction of one.
After half an hour of listening Kundun da asked me to introduce myself and talk about the work I have been doing. Once more, in my imperfect Hindi, I jumped into the role of community organizer, rural India style. I explained who I was, the work that has been ongoing with health committees in neighboring villages, and the potential of communities coming to together to improve public health. It was a sort of all-in-one workshop, information, and planning session.
Afterwards, I facilitated the creation of a yearlong action plan to tackle health issues ranging from waterborne illnesses, to leucorrhea, to anemia, as community members discussed what should be done when. I’ve reached the point in my fellowship year, where I can at least do this much.
On the walk back from Suralgaon, it felt like one of those days that seemed to make some sense. And the days certainly alternate, often bringing sharp thoughts of what have I actually done here? But all of that is for another time (coming soon I reckon). For now, what is more interesting is thinking about the concept of democratic grassroots institutions, actively working for the improvement of their own community. To witness this process here, however imperfect – with problems of male dominance and money-driven plans, is still stimulating in a way that goes beyond politics and panchayats in rural India. It is the possibility of individuals, where ever they may be, working together towards civic engagement and social change.
On the walk back from Suralgaon, it felt like one of those days that seemed to make some sense. And the days certainly alternate, often bringing sharp thoughts of what have I actually done here? But all of that is for another time (coming soon I reckon). For now, what is more interesting is thinking about the concept of democratic grassroots institutions, actively working for the improvement of their own community. To witness this process here, however imperfect – with problems of male dominance and money-driven plans, is still stimulating in a way that goes beyond politics and panchayats in rural India. It is the possibility of individuals, where ever they may be, working together towards civic engagement and social change.
It is from the results of such collective action and community ownership, through the vibrancy and creativity our lives inherently deserve, that we can shape our own realities and futures. And that can be translated across borders and languages, throughout communities, from rural India to wasteland suburbia.
No comments:
Post a Comment