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W
hen one thinks of an empowered
woman, the image that comes to
mind more often than not is of an
educated, financially independent woman.
The women workers of the tea estates certainly
earn their own living but many of them,
especially those above 50 years of age, have
never been to school. Others dropped out after
Class 8 or so while a few of them have finished
school. Yet, these are the women who are
members of the Mothers’ Club – the group
that assists each estate’s Medical Team and
Management to communicate important
messages regarding health and hygiene in the
workers’ colonies or Lines.
The Mothers’ Club
The Mothers’ Club at Bordubi T.E. has
representatives from all the workers’Lines. Of
the twenty-two members, fourteen have never
been to school. Yet, they were nominated by
their respective Line Chowkidars and have the
respect of their fellow workers. Three of the
women – Subho Khecha, Jayanti Bhokna and
Janki Pator – have been members since the
Club was founded in 1998. All three did not
receive a formal education but are the most
active and respected members of the Mothers’
Club because of their strong personalities,
positive attitude, maturity and empathy,
according to their fellow members. “Our
people are willing to listen to us,” says Subho
Khecha. Having personally experienced the
disadvantages of not being formally educated,
they are able to convince the workers of the
importance of educating their children and
sending them to the estate’s LP Schools. “In
the last eighteen years, the Mothers’ Club has
managed to bring about positive changes in the
attitude and lifestyle of the estate’s workers,”
says Janki Pator with a sense of satisfaction.
The following are some of the areas in which
this group of women has brought about
changes:
1. Personal & Social Hygiene and Sanitation
(Hand washing; cleanliness of the home,
surroundings and Lines; washing of food
items; boiling of drinking water;
cleanliness of latrines and ablution area)
2. Spreading awareness of the causes,
symptoms
and
treatment
of
communicable diseases such as TB,
Leprosy, Diarrhea, Malaria, Japanese
Encephalitis
3. The importance of education
4. Proper nutrition, especially for children
and pregnant women
5. The advantages of hospital births, pre- and
post-natal care, and availing of various
government sponsored schemes
6. Spreading awareness about the importance
of regular vaccinations and de-worming
for children
7. Ensuring that children and pregnant
women take their Iron and Folic acid
tablets to prevent anaemia
8. Maintaining social harmony in the Lines
(eg by curbing alcohol abuse)
9. Educating people about proper waste
disposal in their household and Lines
10. Disseminating ideas for the betterment of
the community and bringing the correct
feedback to the Management and Medical
Team
T
he Adolescent Girls’ Club
The Adolescent Girls’Club on each estate plays
a very important role in educating young girls
about their rights as women and human beings,
thus empowering them. 27-year-old Higher
Secondary educated Purnima Bhumij of
Bordubi T.E. was chosen by the Circle
Coordinator to undergo training before she
was appointed as the Facilitator for the two
Clubs at Bordubi T.E. – Togor and Drishti;
Rosemary at Phillobari T.E. and Jyoti Madhuri
at Koomsong T.E. She holds weekly meetings
for the members of each club, in which she
propagates ideas such as the importance of
education and the ill effects of underage
marriage. She hopes that the members will
impart these ideas amongst their friends as
well. In fact, some girls who had dropped out
of school for some reason or the other have
enrolled once again.
The members are encouraged to play sports like
basketball and volleyball and participate in
dance and aerobics workshops in order to
develop their talents and gain self-confidence.
“If I can empower even a handful of adolescent
girls by educating and influencing them to
make the right choices, I will be serving
society,” says Purnima.
24 July 2016
Empowering Women on the Tea Estates
~ Sarita Dasgupta