My Name is Malti…

Village: Paiguwa
Block: Fatehpur
District: Barabanki
Name: Malti Devi
Education: 5th Class
Husband’s Name: Sushil Kumar
Number of Members: Two sons and two daughters
Land: 1 bigha       

This case pertains to Paiguwa village of Fatehpur development block, which is very backward. The socio-economic condition in the block is very pitiable. Mother and child health care facilities do not exist. The condition of women and men farmers is quite bad.

Because of Poorest Area Civil Society (PACS) Project, a ray of hope was kindled among small farmers and women. Malti Devi is an ordinary farmer and her economic condition was very pitiable. She was a housewife and her life was limited to home and kitchen. She was educated up to class 5.

In her own words: "I used to work with my husband on fields and often used to go on others' fields to work as labour. Farmer's agriculture and my wages were main source of income. We did not have good life. We were very poor and used to borrow from the moneylender at 10 per cent interest. Earlier I did not get proper wages and people of upper castes used to beat and abuse us.

"I was not associated with Pratinidhi, but with the advent of PACS Project in the village, I started getting information on various issues from the organisation's workers. The project opened farmers' school. I attended three meetings of the farmers' school and got information about the benefits of groups. We constituted a self help group named Parijat and got its account at Gramin Bank, Bishunpur. Every month the group meets and we get information about various programmes run by the government.

"After we got our account opened, we approached the bank manager to get passbook. But the manager would not oblige even after two months of account opening. We raised the matter a the meeting of the Organisation of Small and Marginal Farmers. We decided to lay seize of the bank manager.

"The seize was led by me. The manager immediately started issuing passbooks of not only my group, but also of other groups. Today I myself go to deposit money in the bank, get money to needy members and keep account myself. At present the group has Rs 4,000 in its kitty and the amount is able to meet requirements of the group members.

"Now I am giving information to the women to prepare kitchen garden and bio manure, so increasing cost in agriculture can be reduced and local requirements can be met at the local level and dependence upon market may be reduced. Many women have set up kitchen garden and seeing this many women of other villages have also set up the same."

Now Malti is source of inspiration for others. She says in all seriousness: "Pratinidhi is a storm because of which we have crossed the boundaries of our homes."

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