Sitaben Baria, Leader, Devgadh Mahila Sangathan (Bara, Block: Devgadh Baria, District: Dahod)

04Apr

By Anandi IndiaApril 9, 2021Articles and Blog, Stories from the field areas of Devgadh Mahila Sangathan and ANANDI organisation

Sitaben Baria, Leader, Devgadh Mahila Sangathan; along with 8 year old Pinkle and her grandfather

Pinkle Kalubhai Nayak is an 8 year old girl, who has just her grandfather to call family. Her mother, father, uncle, aunty and grandmother are no more alive. Sangathan helped her in getting all documents and birth registration, which made it possible for Pinkle to receive Rs. 3000/- every month under Palak Mata Pita Yojana. This has been of great value for the little Pinkle and her grandfather to sustain their lives. Often the absence of documents related to birth/death registration creates trouble for people in accessing government schemes and rights. Devgadh Mahila Sangathan and ANANDI organise a Child Health Campaign, once in every six-months, which has helped in knowing that there are many children without the birth certificates. Later this also was also presented by Sitaben at the ‘Roji Roti Lokjumbesh’held at Baria block and promised the community gathered that she will bring a solution for this. She emphasised on the need to have birth and death certificates, which helps people in accessing their rights. With Sitaben's efforts, the Panchayat office now remains open every Wednesday and this has helped people in registering birth and death without fail.

Sitaben Baria and Gram Sathi Rangitbhai Nayak, along with the families who migrate for work

Many families in Bara village migrate to other towns and cities. Often the mother has to join for work after 15 days of delivering the child, which makes it impossible for her to register birth. Like in many other villages, people of Bara also did not know the significance of registering birth or death. Also, the Panchayat office would remain closed on most of the days, which is again an impediment in registering. With the constant efforts of Devgadh Mahila Sangathan and ANANDI, the Panchayat Office is now remains open once in a week on a designated day, which helps people in getting their documents on time. Also, efforts are being doing to provide jobs with the help of MGNREGA, so that people do not have to migrate outside for work.

Pleaders who have played greater role in getting birth-registration

Senior leaders like Reshamben Nayak, ex-Anganwadi (ICDS) worker Kamlaben Nayak, Health worker Zeniben Nayak, Bara Panchayat member Sitaben Nayak and Gram Sathi Rangitbhai Nayak have strived a lot to bring solution for birth and death registration. They helped in getting all the 24 remaining children registered out of the total 51 children. Because of all these efforts, four children of Sarikaben Rathwa a widow, also received scholarship. Around 12 children of Juni Bedi, Sadhadiya and Bara villages also got scholarships as they received all documents on time.