Water shortage is a problem in Vimala Parmar’s village in Anand, India. Even if there are hand-pumps, they were either broken or non-functional.
She used to see SEWA organisers in her village and thought to herself, “Can a young widow like me become a member of SEWA?”
Eventually, she overcame her hesitation and became a member of the women organisation, where she was trained on hand-pump repairing. The men used to laugh at them, saying, “How can these saree-clad women repair a hand-pump that even a turban man could not?” But they persisted.
With strong support from SEWA, more women joined Vimala in her work. Today, she trains other women on hand-pump repairing. She feels happy to gain respect and dignity through her work. The local government also recognised her ability and entrusted her with the responsibility and maintenance of hand-pumps in the entire Anand district.
Video by SEWA / SEWA Manager Ni School
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