Even today, women work in the fields in every village, but are dependent on the male members of the household for money. Even after hard work, they do not have money to spend in their hands. There is a great need to make rural women financially strong. For such women, a couple in a village in Uttar Pradesh has taken a unique initiative.
In Ramnagar village of Baghpat district, women are earning pocket money for themselves by making diyas and germination pots from cow dung since last one year. All these women are doing this work in association with ‘Prem Krishi Udyog’ which was started by Anish and Alka Sharma of Delhi.
Belonging to the business family of Old Delhi, Anish’s wife Alka is from Ramnagar village.
In 2018, Anish started doing compost work in this village along with the business. For this, he had taken about seven bighas of land on rent from his in-laws. Here he used to buy cow dung from the farmers of the village at the rate of 70 paise per kg. After which he started selling organic manure in Delhi-NCR through online platform.
Talking to The Better India, Anish says, “Women of the village started bringing cow dung from their respective homes to make compost. We used to give money to those women at the end of the week or month.”
But last year when Alka was in the village during the lockdown, she saw that the condition of the women of the village was very bad.
Alka says, “I have been here since childhood. The women of the village depend on the men for all their small needs. Many women used to come to us to give cow dung and kept asking us for work. That’s when I thought what should be done for these women so that they get employment from home.
Learned from women to make lamps from cow dung
In order to provide work to women, she got an NGO registered in the name of PKU CARE FOUNDATION in 2020. Last year, before Diwali, Alka learned to make diyas and pots from cow dung from the internet and taught these women too. After which he got about 38 thousand diyas made by 25 women of the village. For making diyas, he provided molds, colours, Bhimseni camphor, cow dung powder and other items to the women. In this center, women are given a making charge of Re 1 per lamp.
Taking lamps from women, packing and courier, etc., is also done through ‘Prem Krishi Udyog’. Anish told that Panchgavya Diyas made of cow dung got such a good response online that all the diyas were sold out. After which Alka taught women to make germination pot from cow dung. This pot was prepared by mixing cow dung, vermicompost, soil, husk.
Alka wanted women to do some work not only till Diwali but throughout the year. Many people bought these germination pots as return gifts at weddings in Delhi. In the coming days, Alka is also going to teach these women how to make terracotta jewellery.
Helps women and children through NGO
Anish and Alka are connecting the women and children of the village to other vocational training through their NGO PKU CARE FOUNDATION. One of the centers of the NGO is in the center village while the other is in Ghaziabad. In the NGO of the village, 30 children of women making lamps are also coming to study. Sanitary trees are also given to women every month at the centre. Whereas computer training and tailoring training is given to the women and children of the slum in Delhi Center.
Along with Alka and Anish, her friend Pooja Puri is also involved in the work of the NGO. Pooja, a lawyer by profession, says, “I was trying my level best to help the needy. But when I came to know about Alka and Anish, I joined them. Some acquaintances have given us computers and sewing machines. Whereas we ourselves are bearing the cost of salaries of the teachers who come to the village to teach the children and teach computers.
Preeti, a woman from Ramnagar village, says, “My husband does farming. We also have four cows. We first started selling 30 to 40 kg of cow dung per day in Prem Krishi Udyog. Then I learned to make diyas and pots from Alka ji. Last year during Diwali, I had earned around Rs 2000 by making diyas.
At the same time, four women of the village have also been hired by the NGO. Those who work to prepare the necessary goods for making products and deliver them to women. Four thousand rupees are given to these women every month by the organization. One such woman is Uma. She said, “I used to live with my in-laws after my husband passed away. I also have the responsibility of my two children. Last year I started working in Prem Krishi Udyog. With my first salary, I bought my essentials and a new bed sheet.”
This year Prem Krishi Udyog is making about one lakh diyas from these women. Like last year, this year also they are expecting all the diyas to be sold.
If you also want to buy cow dung lamps and other products made by these women or want to know about them, then click here. You can also call Anish Sharma on 99536 19864.
Editing – G N Jha
Also read: Eco friendly packaging made from bamboo, Sabai grass, work given to 500 artisans
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