The rise of Rehmat Bibi fileThe rise of Rehmat Bibi I n this story we. profile a woman who has risen...
1
The rise of Rehmat Bibi I n this story we. profile a womanwho hasrisenfrom I destitution to become a leader in the Self Employed I Women's Association (SEWA), based in Ahmedabad, western India.SEWA is a trade unionmovement fbr poor self-employed women workers, who are largely invisible within the country's economy although a largemajority of the femalelabourforcebelongs to this informal sec- tor. At SEWA women workers are organised to achieve full employment and self-reliance, through a strategy of struggle anddevelopment. Hereis the storyof onewoman who hasbenefited from'theSEWAapproach. Rehmat Bibi is a hand block printerandbelongs to the chippa (block) gommunity. She has been wirh SEWAfor 26 yeins, andat present she is a leader, mobilising women and training them in social security. She says, ,I hadnever left homebefore I came to SEWAandbeinga Muslim I hadto be in purdah. I haveeightchildren: five sons and three daughters, but I did not know how to look afterthem properly nor how to feed them. I usedtb clean grains belonging to otherpeople andearned only a quarter of a rupee a day. I simplycouldnot make ends meet. My hus- band is a rickshawdriver, but his rickshawwas rented andso he too brought homevery little money. ' 'One day Lalitaji came to my house andasked me how muchI earned. Shesaid I could improve my income and suggested thatI join a training programme for upgrading skills in hand block printing. So,I decided to visit SEWA andsee for myself whatother women were learning there. I had left my three-year old child ar home, and whenI went back my husband was angryand slapped-me. 'I started going to SEWAregularly and taking part in their training. I used to leave my house aftermy husband left in the morningand I returned before he came back. Soon I wasearning 100 rupees - which wasa big sumfor me.After sometime I started ea;ning 300rupees andwhen I told my husband, he did not say anything. I think he was surprised. 'SEWA trained 1500 women to become hand block printers and from amongthese, 500 of us formed a hand blockprinting co-operative. I waspleased to become the president of the co-operative. even thoughI could not reador write. Since joining SEWA I have participated in many exhibitions and helped to marketthe products of our co-operative. I have also participated in leadership programmes. 'I have visited other places in India and countries abroad, such asNepal,Sri Lankaand pakistan. I waseven selected to go to Cermanyin a SEWA delegation. The people in my community asked my husband, '.What skill doesyour wife have that she was sent to Germanvbv SEWA?" 'Even now,I still cannot write everything which is in my head. But over the years I havechanged andbecome more confident. In theold days I never knewhow to speak to a man,but today I cantalk to anybody, whether he is a government official or a politician. I cango to any meet- ing andpresent the work of SEWA. 'Today I am a member of the Boardof Directors of the SEWA Bank. One customer askedme, "What is your qualification?" My reply was "thumb impression."The fact is I haveacquired a "SEWA degree". 'Not only have I become a better-educated person, but the situation of my family has greatlyimproved: I have taken a loanfrom thebankten times, andI bought a rick- shawanda taxi for my.husband andmy son. I havealso paid for my youngest daughter's further education. She hascompleted her masters degree andis the first person in our community to do so. 'My husband and my son have to payme a fixed amount of Rs100 every day, whichI pay to thebank. I controlrhe finances in our family! These dayswhen I am late leav- ing for the office, my husband asks me, "Aren,t you go- ing to SEWA[oday?" 'I have received a lot from SEWA,andnow I am trying to pay back some of my debt by assisting otherwomen. For example, I am involvedin trainingKutch artisans in "tie and dye" methods. After 45 years of living in Ahmedabad, the chippacommunitycontinues to facili- tateme in my work for SEWA.I simply cannot imagine mv life anvmore withour SEWA.' g This profile is based on an interview conducted by the Vice- President of SEWA, Lalita Krishnaswami. lt is reprinted with permission of SEWAfrom Commonweatth peopte, April2003.
Transcript of The rise of Rehmat Bibi fileThe rise of Rehmat Bibi I n this story we. profile a woman who has risen...
The rise ofRehmat Bibi
I n this story we. profile a woman who has risen fromI destitution to become a leader in the Self EmployedI Women's Association (SEWA), based in Ahmedabad,
western India. SEWA is a trade union movement fbr poorself-employed women workers, who are largely invisiblewithin the country's economy although a large majorityof the female labourforce belongs to this informal sec-tor. At SEWA women workers are organised to achievefull employment and self-reliance, through a strategy ofstruggle and development. Here is the story of one womanwho has benefited from'the SEWA approach.
Rehmat Bibi is a hand block printer and belongs to thechippa (block) gommunity. She has been wirh SEWA for26 yeins, and at present she is a leader, mobilising womenand training them in social security. She says, ,I had neverleft home before I came to SEWA and being a Muslim Ihad to be in purdah. I have eight children: five sons andthree daughters, but I did not know how to look after themproperly nor how to feed them. I used tb clean grainsbelonging to other people and earned only a quarter of arupee a day. I simply could not make ends meet. My hus-band is a rickshaw driver, but his rickshaw was rentedand so he too brought home very little money.' 'One day Lalitaji came to my house and asked me howmuch I earned. She said I could improve my income andsuggested that I join a training programme for upgradingskills in hand block printing. So, I decided to visit SEWAand see for myself what other women were learning there.I had left my three-year old child ar home, and when Iwent back my husband was angry and slapped-me.'I started going to SEWA regularly and taking part intheir training. I used to leave my house after my husbandleft in the morning and I returned before he came back.Soon I was earning 100 rupees - which was a big sum forme. After sometime I started ea;ning 300 rupees and whenI told my husband, he did not say anything. I think hewas surprised.
'SEWA trained 1500 women to become hand blockprinters and from among these, 500 of us formed a handblockprinting co-operative. I was pleased to become thepresident of the co-operative. even though I could notread or write. Since joining SEWA I have participated inmany exhibitions and helped to market the products ofour co-operative. I have also participated in leadershipprogrammes.
'I have visited other places in India and countriesabroad, such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and pakistan. I was even
selected to go to Cermany in a SEWA delegation. Thepeople in my community asked my husband, '.What skilldoes your wife have that she was sent to Germanv bvSEWA?"
'Even now, I stil l cannot write everything which is inmy head. But over the years I have changed and becomemore confident. In the old days I never knew how to speakto a man, but today I can talk to anybody, whether he is agovernment official or a politician. I can go to any meet-ing and present the work of SEWA.'Today I am a member of the Board of Directors of theSEWA Bank. One customer asked me, "What is yourqualification?" My reply was "thumb impression." Thefact is I have acquired a "SEWA degree".'Not only have I become a better-educated person, butthe situation of my family has greatly improved: I havetaken a loan from the bank ten times, and I bought a rick-shaw and a taxi for my.husband and my son. I have alsopaid for my youngest daughter's further education. Shehas completed her masters degree and is the first personin our community to do so.'My husband and my son have to pay me a fixed amountof Rs100 every day, which I pay to the bank. I control rhefinances in our family! These days when I am late leav-ing for the office, my husband asks me, "Aren,t you go-ing to SEWA [oday?"
'I have received a lot from SEWA, and now I am tryingto pay back some of my debt by assisting other women.For example, I am involved in training Kutch artisans in"tie and dye" methods. After 45 years of living inAhmedabad, the chippa community continues to facili-tate me in my work for SEWA. I simply cannot imaginemv l i fe anv more withour SEWA.' gThis profile is based on an interview conducted by the Vice-President of SEWA, Lalita Krishnaswami. lt is reprinted withpermission of SEWAfrom Commonweatth peopte, April 2003.
