Trail Blazers - IFAD

Meet Rachana Babulal Ingale. She is the Chairperson of a Community
Managed Resource Centre (CMRC) for Akola District and hails from an
economically backward hamlet called Tandulwadi. The little drought-prone village
is home to 886 people, majority of them farm labourers, with almost 70 % of the
population belonging to the Schedule Caste (SC) community. With education
facility only up to Class VII and male dominance at a high level…women of
Tandulwadi are neither encouraged nor do they have any enthusiasm left to think
up new initiatives to develop their lives. From a homemaker; from a wife of a
landless labourer; and from being a no one - Rachana has become the only link
between the villagers and their dreams for a much brighter future.
MAVIM had been providing training on basic structure and functions of SHGs to
the village women of Tandulwadi and recognised that Rachana had it in her to
lead. Joining Swayamdeep SHG was the first step for Rachana and soon she was
elected President of the SHG in 2005. After working in different capabilities with
the Gram Panchayat, she was elected VLC President in the year 2006 and when
the CMRC concept was introduced in the village in 2007, MAVIM recognised that
Rachana’s initiatives and boldness was an inspiration to the Tandulwadi women
and trusted her ability to run the Centre effectively. The CMRC covers around 30
villages in the vicinity of approximate radius of 25 kilometres with an SHG count
of over 184 till date providing social and economical services to the villages for
a small fee.
“I’ve always been attracted to working for the people,” Rachana tells me, “and with
the training and encouragement I received from MAVIM, I was able to have the
confidence and courage to speak out.” The boost she received and her increased
awareness level helped her overcome family resistance to her pursuing public life.
Rachana first began by convincing the village women to join SHGs and then with
the collective force she demanded better roads, water and sanitation facilities in
village meetings. Her role as Resource Person at Meljol – an NGO working for the
eradication of child labour in the locality provided her with additional income.
As elected member to the Gram Panchayat, Rachana championed for the
cause of women and for issues related to health, sanitation, clean water supply,
housing for the poor, gender equality, education, ban on liquor and gambling,
childcare, etc. All these efforts won her the respect from the women and they
began participating in large numbers in all village meetings. After her becoming
Chairperson of the CMRC, Rachana continued to solve problems and take up
issues for the 30 villages under her care.
Most of the women in Tandulwadi have buffaloes and the SHGs plan to collectively supply milk and milk
products to nearby villages.
89