As part of our outreach programme at Sahyog, we interact with women belonging to Self Help Groups at Shankargarh in Allahabad. We spoke to them about the ‘We Can’ campaign and Change Makers. The women were extremely keen to become Change Makers particularly after hearing that there are around 40 million women missing from our country due to discrimination, neglect and violence. They also displayed enormous interest in the communication material, especially the kits. One day, I visited them just as they had finished work and were leaving for their respective homes. I was intrigued to see each one of the women carry the campaign bag on their shoulders. I asked them why they were all carrying the bags. “We want people to ask us questions about the campaign so that we can talk to them about domestic violence,” was their response.

I wish to also especially narrate the efforts being made a six-and-a-half year old boy. He has been attending campaign meetings with his mother and takes home posters, stickers and leaflets. He has stuck many stickers on the vehicles in his neighbourhood. His friends were curious about them. I overheard him saying that these stickers were meant to save all the mothers from their husbands who abused them. I am delighted to see that young minds are receptive to the idea of ending abuse against women and pro active in their behaviour.

While sensitising young adolescent girls to gender-violence at our shelter home, I was horrified to learn that many of them were being abused at home. These girls were keen to discuss the issue and help each other in their hour of crisis. Naina, one of the inmates was keen to spread the message of the campaign at her school once the exams were over. All the girls at the home are now associated with the campaign and help us disseminate material.