| In Focus |
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 Breaking the Cycle
Women in Gudidibba are emerging from their trapped silences to fight for a better life
“After returning from fishing in the evening, we used to drink alcohol and quarrel with each other. Often, my husband beat me. When I felt sick, we went to traditional healers and took some medicinal leaves. We got our daughter married at age 13 and our son at 16. We had only one pair of clothes.” This may sound like a harsh litany of troubles but Setti Venkateswaramma, 43 years old and a fisherwoman of the Yanadi community, says it in a matter-of-fact tone. For many in her community, it is a familiar story.
The Yanadi community of Gudidibba ST Colony, a small hamlet in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, have been trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, survival and despair for a long time. A nomadic people, they travelled together in small groups and made their living by fishing in the tiny streams, lakes and low-lying areas where they could catch crabs and small fish. Considered “untouchables” by other castes, they were denied access to basic facilities and abhorred by people outside the community. The women, as is wont to happen in most situations of exploitation and backwardness, represented the nadir of oppression. The men usually spent the meagre earnings on drink and alcohol-induced rage and violence was commonplace. Often, they took loans to buy alcohol or took drinks on credit and sank deeper into debt. The women struggled to keep the family going. Children were not admitted into school and girls were married off at the age of 12. They become mothers at an early age, suffering from poor health and malnourishment as a result. The women in the community were kept ignorant and had no say in household decisions. With no basic education, they were unaware of their rights and opportunities and ignorant of concepts such as savings or preventive healthcare.
“I got married at 14 and we were living in a small dirty hut without electricity,” says Gandam Chittemma, already the mother of two children at 20. “We were not sending our children to school and they were not vaccinated. We were scared of visiting doctors. Also, land lords or government officers so we didn’t talk to them.”
The Coastal Community Development Project (CCDP) started working in this community in 2004. The primary aim was to spread education, which was a crucial starting point. After organising the people into committees that would motivate and encourage parents to send their children to school, a government-run primary school was established here. Special emphasis was given to the education of the girl child and parents were convinced to admit their girls into school. Today, 46 children are attending school, 12 of whom are girls.
Women were also educated about savings. Self help groups were formed and fifty women started saving regularly. Through these self help groups, they are also being educated about other matters like health, cleanliness and gender equality.
“We did not know what saving is all about. We did not know where the bank was. After the project started working in our village, we were educated on savings, and we started a savings group. I was elected as a leader and I started saving regularly. We also gained knowledge on disease prevention and stopped going to traditional healers. Children are being vaccinated and we are using government Public Health Centres,” says Chittemma.
There have been some tangible measures of improvement. Women now question their rights in the homes and participate in village discussions. They are being provided with healthcare services. The incidence of early marriages has reduced. The women have also fought to get new houses under the Indira Avas Yojana scheme. There are 42 newly constructed houses in the village, all of them in the women’s names. The state government is also promoting gender equality by giving house documents, civil supply ration cards, and other social welfare schemes in their names.
“My husband and I stopped drinking. We are maintaining cleanliness, keeping our surroundings clean and neat, rearing kitchen gardens. We bought four pairs of clothing,” smiles Venkateswaramma. “I was granted a piece of land and government housing. Now only my husband goes fishing and I take care of my home. My dream is to get trained in vocational skills training and start a poultry farm.”
The project also encouraged people to explore alternative means of earning their livelihood.
“I have been cooking for the children in school and we were able to buy a small boat worth Rs 5,000,” says Setti Anjamma, aged 28. “I am also working as an agent for a finance company called AgriGold and earning Rs 1,000 extra. We bought a television for our home, which is the only television available in the whole village!”
The project continues to educate the women on education, health and other issues and to motivate them to fight for their rights. In the future, it plans to promote alternative livelihood skills like tailoring and embroidery for women and help the children attain better and higher education so that they can access better employment opportunities.
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