Deepak foundation celebrated International Women’s Day with change makers award

Felicitating 17 change makers made a difference in society

Deepak Foundation celebrated International Women’s Day by felicitating
17 changemakers who made a difference in society and inspire others to follow.
All of them are honoured for their silents efforts and fighting all odds to
bring change in the society.

The theme for the occasion was away from spotlight. The chief guest for
the occasion was Padmashri Kumudiniben Lakhia, Dr Bhavna Mehta, head of
department, Social work, Deepak Foundation Trustee Ilaben Mehta, Mountaineer
Prachi Vaidya and theatre personality Apsara Iyenger. 

The ceremony kickstarted with Dhol Tasha performance and Ahmedabad based
dance troupe Nirmiti enthralled the audience with their Mahisasur Mardini and
Vande Mataram. Director Archana Joshi extended best wishes to all the 250 women
participants. Deepak foundation also started the very first Smt Kantaben Mehta
memorial award ceremony for change makers.

Everyone receiving the change makers award is unique what they do and
try to spread awareness through their work. Premilaben, living in Panchamahudi
village, Bhiloda taluka of Aravalli district is one among those women. She is
working as an Asha worker since 2007 with commitment for the welfare and
upbringing of the village. 

Premilaben says, before working as an Asha worker she use to do
agricultural work. Since 2007 she has worked selflessly for the welfare and
happiness of the society. Initially she had faced many ups and downs as an Asha
worker in her village, yet she did not lose hope and continued working as an
Asha worker with selfless dedication. She says one should always work as a
medicine for the society, when needed and should run to heal the same and get
rid of the pain. 

Premilaben shares one of her memorable incidents from her village, where
a 7 months pregnant Jasmineben had to be hospitalized late night at around 2
am. She ran to help her and took her in a car, first for Shaamalji and then
later took her for Bhiloda saved lives of both premature child and mother. She
further said that after the incident, Jasmineben and her son Neev who is now
one and half years old admires her lot and respects Premilaben next to her
mother for saving her and her child’s life. She says, in this way, any family
who does not have  four -wheeler assistance are provided with same
assistance free of cost any time they want. In this way she also plays a role
of 108, when there are network issues in the village during emergencies.

Premilaben lives with her parents, three brothers and two sisters in
laws in Panchamahudi village. She has studied T.Y.B.A in Gujarati language from
Arts College of Shaamalji. She said to never get this respect before, but today
her village people as well as family members ask for her advice before taking
any societal decisions.   

Another woman received the award was Sonalben Vankar, who is working as
a Board of Director in MKSP, that is Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana. She
is also a Cluster Coordinator in Government’s Mission Mangalam in five
villages.  

Sonalben is working as a Board of Director in MKSP since last five
years. She joined as a CRP member in the year 2015, and currently is one of the
Board of Directors. She said that in MKSP around 1100 women from all over
villages of Chhotaudeypur are working with them. She further said the MKSP has
made various mills such as khichadi mills, where they call these women, gives
them training and then provides them with work in order to make them
financially independent. They make instant khichadi which is made out of pulses
and rice with salt and turmeric, last for 6 months and to cook.

Sonalben also said she is a Cluster Coordinator in Government’s Mission
Mangalam, which includes five villages namely Piplaj, Ratanpur, Vaaghiya,
Velari and Chametha. Initially before joining Mission Mangalam, she was working
with Deepak Foundation since two years. She later went for interview for
Mission Mangalam and then started working with the same. She further said in
Mission Mangalam, they provide women with training like Sari work, knit work,
etc and in that way try to make them independent earners. 

They also help women who are not aware or uneducated in taking loans for
farmers from bank. She further said that she as part of Mission Mangalam try to
gather women in more and more number and make them member of the mandals. Women
who are pregnant or feeding mothers and members of the mandals are regularly
provided with regular nutritional food important for them. 

She also said when she started working with Mission Mangalam, initially
mandals were not working properly as required, today her efforts has made the
working of five mandals regular and proper. 

Sonalben Vankar lives in a joint family with two kids, husband in laws
in Naswadi taluka of Chhotaudepur district. She said her family members,
especially her husband and mother in law support her a lot for her work.
Initially when she started working, it was difficult for her to move even out
of the village, today she can roam anywhere for her work, with good confidence
and family support. This way she inspires women around by being  active
for working as independent woman and also trying to raise standard of living of
other women by making them independent.