'I Have Made A Name For Myself': SuPoshan Sanginis Drive Women Empowerment Narrative Across Country
Currently, around 450 women work as SuPoshan Sanginis, teaching the community about nutrition, breastfeeding, dietary diversity, sanitation, and other healthy habits.
Laxmi Daroga (21) of Bundi, Rajasthan, had a mundane life. She was not permitted to work, something she sorely desired after graduating college. She felt herself bound by her conservative family's strong convictions, which forbade female members from working outside the house. In 2019, a chance knocked on her door, changing her destiny.
It was a chance that would set her free, empower her, and give her life new purpose. She fought against all odds. She begged her parents to let her pursue her ambition of being self-sufficient, and so the narrative of SuPoshan Sangini Laxmi, as she is now called in her community, started.
“My family didn’t support me in the beginning. But today it is a different situation. I have made a name for myself. I am Sangini Laxmi – it is a big step for a girl from my community. Today, I earn a respectable living and no longer depend on my family financially. They, too, recognise it and slowly started appreciating it,” said Laxmi, who works in five nearby villages.
Laxmi is one of many such women who have been empowered after becoming a SuPoshan Sangini in the 12 Indian states where the Fortune SuPoshan programme is now underway.
Sanginis are village health volunteers who play an important role in raising awareness about health and nutrition, referring severely malnourished children, and encouraging behavioural change within the project's target populations.
Currently, around 450 women work as SuPoshan Sanginis, teaching the community about nutrition, breastfeeding, dietary diversity, sanitation, and other healthy habits. This is also a shining example of rural women entering the labour force and becoming empowered as a result.
According to a Niti Ayog study, India's score has improved from 0.665 in 2018 to 0.668 in 2020. (Global Gender Gap Index Report 2020). Initiatives to mainstream women's engagement in economic activities have been shown to act as a catalyst in reaching the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
Savitriben Vasava, 48, from Narmada in Gujarat, may have begun her new trip late in life, but she believes that it is never too late to begin anything new.
“Respect and value for me in my family has increased. This is a proud moment for me. My children are also proud of me and today I can afford to give them quality education in good schools. I was able to complete the construction of my house. I also invest part of the money I earn in my farmlands. I could not even use a simple mobile phone but today I can operate a laptop and do all my data entry related to work on it. It has been a great socio-economic progress for me,” she stated.
How has Mamta Yadav’s life changed from a housewife to a Sangini? “The situation at home was not good. My husband also didn’t have a regular job. But ever since I started working, he also felt compelled to start contributing regularly to the household, monetarily. I have made a name for myself. My work as a Sangini is respected by everyone in the village panchayat. And it is because of my work that I am now doing a lot more for the community here. I have been made the president of the local primary and middle school SMC (School Management Committee). I ensure that mid-day meal served at the school is nutritious, the teachers are regular, etc. I wear many hats and I am enjoying each one of them,” said Mamta (31), a resident of Raigarh in Chhattisgarh.
Being a Sangini has also boosted their self-esteem. Mogarben Vasava, 28, from the Narmada region, is a confident lady who walks throughout the community conducting FGDs (Focus Group Discussions) that are also attended by males.
“After my training with the Adani Foundation, I am a different person. I couldn’t finish my education, so the first thing I did was to clear my class 10 board exams. I could not speak in public. But today, I can speak to thousands of people including men at gram sabha with utmost confidence. Being financially strong has helped a lot. I am educating my kids and running my household successfully,” she said.
Chanda Sarangi from Bundi was in a similar situation. The 42-year-world old's was confined to her home. She is now not just aatmanirbhar, but she also has a strong sense of self-confidence, making her a symbol of women's strength in her community.
“The biggest high I get is that I don’t have to ask for money from my husband anymore. I couldn’t drive before and today I drive my own vehicle and I can go out at any time of the day. Many women in my area look up to me and come to me asking for work. They see me as an inspiration and want to become like me. I have earned the trust of people and the joy that I feel cannot be expressed in words,” Chanda said.
Not just economic freedom but being a Sangini is an extremely satisfying journey for these women. “I look after 2 villages with 141 kids. Previously there were 5 Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) kids but now after my work it has come down to 2. Previously the moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) count was 17 and now it stands at 10. This is a great achievement for me. I feel so encouraged and I feel so happy that my hard work is reaping the rewards and saving lives of kids,” Sangini Mamta adds.
Sangini Savitriben has implemented all government schemes at the village level. She also works closely with Anganwadi workers and has made a name for herself as a Sangini ben. From creating awareness about nutrition, health, hygiene, kitchen gardening to taking cooking classes teaching recipes that can be made with local produce, Savitriben has changed a lot.
“It is because of my work that that I have seen that there has been 200 to 300 grams increase in weight in malnourished kids. When I started working there were 40 SAM kids, but because of my efforts, today there are only 16 SAM kids. This is very satisfying for me,” she said.
Echoing similar sentiments, 41-year-old Kakoli Jana Mondal from Iswardaha Jalpai village located in Haldia subdivision of Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal, says initially it was quite challenging for her to learn the work because she lacked education.
However, post the training she found her way and has been a very successful Sangini in the four centers of her area. “I have 200 kids under me and since this is a highly poverty-stricken area, the number of SAM and MAM kids were very high. But I didn’t give up. I made sure that I spread as much awareness as possible about healthcare and nutrition. I didn’t realise that by doing this work I am directly changing the lives of so many people—kids who are malnourished, pregnant women who have no idea about the right nutrition, young girls that are not aware about proper menstrual hygiene,” she said.
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