Thirty seven-year-old Nagaratnam of Kaderpalli village, a health worker in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, says, “I have begun talking to women about domestic violence while I address their health needs. They open up and talk to me about their problems at home. I use the Change Maker kits to delve deeper into the issue. One woman in my village was widowed. Her in-laws began pressurising her to sign on a blank paper to ensure that she is denied a share in her husband’s property. But this was not what they told her. They said her signing on that paper would ensure her a loan to start up something on her own. But she sensed that something was amiss and came away to her father’s home on the pretext of celebrating a festival. People in her village came to hear of her sorry tale and assured her that they would stand by her in her hour of need. Seeing such staunch community support she was emboldened to confront the situation. She approached her village sangha for help and demanded that she be allowed a share in her husband’s property and the right to live with her father. The in-laws threatened her with dire consequences but have had to back off because of community pressure.

In the village of Rothamandal, we came across a case where the parents of a girl refused to send her to school. A Change Maker requested the father to admit the girl into a Bridge School so that she could graduate to a mainstream school gradually. He pretended to agree but would scold his wife whenever she attempted to send the girl to school. He also prevented his wife from attending Self Help Group meetings and would come himself to pay up her dues. The sangam members are distressed by his attitude and are trying to reason with him. We hope to see a change soon”