2.
THE RURAL UNION
2.1
INTRODUCTION
SEWA
began organizing workers in the villages of Ahmedabad district
from 1979. At that time, the Gujarat government had announced
minimum wages for agricultural labourers.
Initially,
rural workers of SEWA were organized to execute traditional
union strategies; which were nothing but struggle for minimum
wages. The organizers of this union were attacked in fields
and legal cases followed. As a result of the union action
the village women who constituted 50% of the total village
work force lost whatever low-paid work they had, forget
about getting minimum wages.
From these experiences, we learned some hard lessons that
basis for obtaining higher wages is the capacity and power
to bargain. However, the workers in these areas had neither
the capacity nor the power to bargain. The workers in this
area were weak and vulnerable due to their lack of employment
as well as were unorganised. In this situation there was
almost unending supply of labour and limited employment
opportunities, the workers are unable to bargain for higher
wages.
SEWA’s
approach to rural organizing is area-specific and demand
driven. Under the leadership of SEWA’s members the community
itself designs and implements all community-based activities.
SEWA helps women members in rural communities to build and
operate their own organizations, by forming cooperatives
and district level federations, as a result of which the
members develop collective bargaining power and create alternative
sources of employment, and thereby, livelihood security
for their families.
Livelihood
activities are structured according to local needs and regional
characteristics. SEWA members have formed cooperatives or
producer groups for variety of activities like water conservation,
dairy production, craftwork, reforestation and salt farming,
with involvement tailored to local conditions.
SEWA
believes in the primacy of local ownership and knowledge.
Village women are trained to augment the skills necessary
to competently administer their own organizations and cooperatives.
Spearhead teams which comprise of local organizers are formed,
who take charge of all of SEWA’s activities and lead each
cooperative. The spearhead team consists of 80% local leaders
and 20% SEWA organizers. The team leaders (aagewans) are
selected on the criteria of their long experience in working
with SEWA. Spearhead team members, or ‘barefoot managers’
undergo intensive training in administration, financial
management and the technical aspects of their activity or
trade.
2.2
RURAL ORGANISATION
SEWA
movement has grown into a family of organizations. The members,
depending on the need, form their own economic organizations
like groups of artisan, salt workers, forest producers,
agriculture workers, tobacco workers etc. These are all
registered, democratic, member based organizations. They
are registered either as co-operatives, associations, federations
or trusts.
1. Banaskantha DWCRA Mahila SEWA Association
2. Kutch Craft Association
3. Kheda District Women’s Savings and Credit Association
4. Ahmedabad District Women’s Savings and Credit Association
5. Gandhinagar District Women’s Savings and Credit Association
6. Sukhi Mahila Mandal
7. Sabarkantha Khedu Mandal
8. Surendranagar Mahila and Bal Vikas Mandal (SMVM), Dhrangadhra
9. SEWA Gram Mahila Haat
10. SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre (STFC)
Districts of Gujarat
Currently
SEWA has 2,19,631 members in 11 districts of Gujarat.
| Sr.
No. |
District |
Taluka |
No of villages |
District organizer |
District spearhead team |
Number of members |
| 1 |
Surendranagar |
3 |
85 |
35 |
35 |
17,546 |
| 2 |
Vadodara |
3 |
300 |
13 |
40 |
29,883 |
| 3 |
Ahmedabad |
5 |
150 |
10 |
28 |
33,657 |
| 4 |
Gandhinagar |
4 |
143 |
3 |
28 |
13,131 |
| 5 |
Kheda / Anand |
16 |
600 |
50 |
111 |
1,01,548 |
| 6 |
Mehsana |
5 |
300 |
15 |
16 |
25,237 |
| 7 |
Sabarkantha |
4 |
150 |
13 |
50 |
29,329 |
| 8 |
Kutch |
6 |
250 |
52 |
26 |
20,066 |
| 9 |
Banaskantha / Patan |
2 |
70 |
58 |
70 |
50,782 |
2.3 DISTRICTS AND SEWA
2.3.1
BANASKANTHA / PATAN
Membership
| District |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
| Banaskantha/Patan |
50,782 |
67,230 |
1,00,361 |
44,610 |
34,534 |
Banaskantha is arid, drought prone district in north-western
Gujarat; water is scarce and so are employment opportunities
and has experienced 3 successive years of drought from 1985
to 1987. Hence, since in 1989, SEWA started getting involved
in organizing rural development programs in Banaskantha.
Excessive groundwater exploitation during the last two decades
has aggravated the present drought conditions in the district.
There used to be a mass migration because of unemployment
and lack of marketing facility to market traditional skill.
The journey of SEWA, started from Vauva village by organizing
women artisans involved in embroidery work.
The
Banaskantha DWCRA Mahila SEWA Association (BDMSA)
BDMSA
was formed in 1992 in response to the fact that individual
DWCRA groups were too isolated & vulnerable, to easily
reach markets, to obtain the raw materials as well as the
credit they required. SEWA began organizing in close coordination
with the government and an action- research organization
Foundation for Public Interest (FPI). SEWA was invited to
work with Water Supply Board, Government of Gujarat, on
water related issues. In response to the request from the
GoG SEWA undertook the task of promoting new cooperatives
as well as helping them to build their capacities &
linking them with the government. BDMSA covers the widest
range of activities of the district. The economic activities
are craft, watershed development, dairy co-operatives, gum
collection, nursery/plantation. The social activities cover
health, childcare, housing, mobile ration van and functional
literacy class and other activities.
Since
1995, the Integrated Watershed Development Program is being
implemented with a focus on rainwater harvesting, soil moisture
conservation, and a forestation and pasture development.
| Questions |
Member |
Amt. Rs. |
Activity |
| Employment + Income |
8,246 |
3,33,50,108 |
Nursery, milk co-operatives, training |
| Assets/ Ownership |
|
1,35,07,137 |
Savings, agriculture instruments, live-stocks |
| Nutritious Food |
17,039 |
|
Health training, nutritious food for adolescent
girls, training through visits at homes. |
| HealthCare |
20,172 |
|
In 55 villages 20,172 patients were treated. |
| Child Care |
707 |
|
Snacks were distributed amongst the children. |
| Housing |
1,219 |
|
Houses were constructed thus providing shelter to
the members. |
| Organised Strength |
50,782 |
|
|
| Leadership |
5,838 |
|
Different activity spearhead team members, training
to members, |
| Self reliance |
2,245 |
|
Financial independence and development of society.
|
|
Education |
1,120 |
|
Capacity building training, member education, computer
training. |
- 4300 members were given education training.
SEWA movement training was given to 450 members.
- This year health care facility covered 20,172
patients were treated in 55 villages. As a result of mobile
health van services, women got medical services at their
doorsteps and could economise their time and earn more income.
These health care trainings were organised to emphasize
the importance of health care in adolescent girls with they
were made aware of the primary health care needs and sanitation
at the same time.
- Under the Balvadi programme 707 children were
distributed snacks and nutritious food worth Rs. 2,64,600.
- Under the watershed activity, 36 members were
given training. The activities covered under watershed include
levelling, farm pond, recharging and repairing of well,
check dam, construction of water tanks, plantation, distribution
of masonry kit and agricultural kit, seed bank, grain bank,
fodder distribution also distribution of quality seeds.
- Water campaign had developed awareness in
women regarding water conservation, cleanliness and best
usage of water by which they have been able to have water
harvesting tanks at their door steps and have been benefited
in terms of utilising saved time for livelihood ultimately
resulting in better health and less seasonal migration.
2.3.2
KHEDA / ANAND
Membership
| District |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
| Kheda-Anand |
1,01,548 |
1,00,332 |
1,00,000 |
58,368 |
44,177 |
SEWA has being organizing workers of this district since
1985. More than 50% of the workers are tobacco processors.
80% of the tobacco of country is produced in this region.
Most of the people are engaged in agriculture and agro/tobacco
processing units. The other occupations in which the poor
communities of both the districts are mainly engaged include
small marginal work, animal husbandry, plantation, stonework,
gruhudhyog, fishing work, farming etc.
| Question |
Member |
Amt. Rs. |
Activity |
| Employment + Income |
111 |
14,49,644 |
Tobacco farming, health, childcare, savings, insurance,
nursery, weaving, campaigns, housing, training, research,
education, Shanta, scientific support |
| Assets/ Ownership |
26,954 |
85,48,244 |
|
| Housing |
|