Story
"While I was documenting the women's problem here, the employment officers clearly told me not to get signatures of these women on the application seeking employment, neither should any papers be sent anywhere," recalls Kesha, a community champion in Keshavpur village, Uttar Pradesh (India).
Initially, the other women were afraid of government officials. They did not contest the decision to unlawfully permit only men to work under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).
Kesha was different. She knew first hand the need for women to be economically independent, since her family forcefully married her after losing their land in a financial crisis.
Over the course of 2 days, she persuaded the women to put up a fight. 25 of them signed the application asking for work, despite the government officers' instructions to the contrary. Not only that, Kesha also made a video of their struggle.
Faced with this pressure, the programme officer relented after one month and granted work to the women under NREGA. This victory not only provided employment but also sparked a broader discourse on gender empowerment and inclusive policies in the village.
India ranks among the bottom 20 countries in the world for female labour participation. Especially in rural areas, there is a perception that “a womans place is in the kitchen.”
This report shows that it is possible to change these attitudes, one story at a time. By buying this impact certificate, you provide financial support to the journalists behind this story and send a strong message that gender equality in employment is important.
Impact Analysis
Value of increased earnings: $3,750 (25 women, $1.5 increase per day, 100 days of work)
Social change value: $1,250 ($50 per woman for improved status and access to social welfare)
Total Benefit: $3,750 + $1,250 = $5,000
True Benefit: $4,000, taking a 20% chance the impact would have happened without Kesha Devi due to the fear of the women in approaching the officers themselves
Cost of Impact: $850, dividing the annual budget for video volunteers in 2016 ($320,788) with the total number of impact reports they produced in that year (377).
Benefit Cost Ratio: $4000 divided by $850 = 4.70
Meet the Reporter
Kesha Devi has had 2 formative moments in her life.
The first occurred at only 14 years of age when she was forced to marry for supporting her family in a financial crisis.
The second involved an incident where she was refused the right to use the village water pump due to her caste.
These formative moments led her to partner with Yuvak Samiti, an organization improving women & childs rights. She also became a community correspondent for Video Volunteers to ensure government programs are non-discriminatory and accountable.
Your purchase of this report can help Kesha Devi continue being a changemaker for her community.