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I live in the Gobindopur area of Kolkata
for four years now, I've been a part of Ujaan, a youth group
our neighbourhood begins at the Lake Gardens station
and continues along the railway track
around 300 families live here
people here are mostly daily-wagers
and they use the train to go to work
most women work as household help
this neighbourhood has its share of problems
but a lot less than before, I think
sometimes I feel that inspite of living in a big city
people's attitudes have not changed, many problems remain
problems such as not letting children study
early marriage for girls
and most of all, domestic violence
some of us young people of our neighbourhood
have come together to change this scenario
we have named our group Ujaan
meaning, a tide that turns against the usual flow
it brings a revolution
hello, I'm Shampa. I'll tell you two stories today
first, a story of the usual course of life
and next, a story about change
first let's hear Pushpa-di's story
[Krishna] what do you do?
[Pushpa] I cook
[Pushpa] I cook
and a lot of household chores that need to be done
and a lot of household chores that need to be done
how far have you studied?
class four or five
class four or five
how old were you when you got married?
fifteen
no I must have been sixteen. Yes sixteen
tell us a bit about your life since you got married
I have not seen any happiness
I've had to work hard since I was child
I've had a hard childhood, I used to live and work at peoples homes
I wanted very much to study. I would see children going to school
and wish that I too could read and write, and go to school like them
my parents could not educate me
we moved here when I was very young, and settled along these railway tracks
we were five sisters, no brothers
one sister died on these tracks, an accident
then they got me married
I contimued to suffer
my husband has a habit of drinking and being violent
I can't seem to get a grip on the home front
I feel sad that I could not be successful in anything
that is my regret
I have three children
all girls
a male child died
I'd found a job in a school, but my husband did not allow it
I couldn't do anything worthwhile in life, that's sad
how old are your daughters?
the older one is 15
next one is 12
the youngest is eight
the oldest is studying...
well she was in class eight, we got her married off
really?
we live in constant fear
there are many boys who are always harassing the girls
they'd always say 'we'll abduct her'
they would harass and threaten all the time
'give her in marriage, or we'll take her by force' they said
that kind of threat and harassment
we were stressed, then suddenly she found a boy she liked
so we got her married off
there were many happy days in my childhood
I loved to play
I sailed in a boat
and swam a lot in these lakes
those were happy days
my parents used to work in another locality
they used to leave me to work at other peoples homes, that was hard
I used to cry a lot
sometimes i used to fall asleep while working
sometimes I felt ill
sometimes they would beat me up
I was just 12 years old then
I saw their children going to school
i'd be sad, thinking i can't go to school
i took night classes at the library
this way I managed to study till class five
then i turned 15 or 16
i had a crush on a boy
he liked me too
so my parents met him
and eventually we got married
then the bad days started again
what would you like to say to the young people of today
I'd tell them
not to suffer like i have, study lots
get good jobs and live happily
i want that
to do that, they must study, look for opportunities
they must be healthy and safe, and find good environments
they should not get married in haste like i did
they should think about their future before getting married
they should learn from the mistakes i have made
there are many girls like Pushpa-di in our neighbourhood
Bandana's story could have identical, but it turned out differently for her
she wanted something else from life
she didn't want to be drawn into this vortex of society
and wanted to have control over her own future
I am Bandana Makal
I see many problems in this community
girls getting married early
the fact that girls have no say in various matters
decisions are handed down by parents or elders
that used to happen with me too
my parents thought I should get married after class 10
I could not take even the small decisions
I had to accept whatever my parents decided for me
that felt like a heavy burden
I felt my point of view was not valued
I wanted to do something to change that
to be able to decide for myself
before, I believed that I ought to be an obedient daughter
that an obedient girl was a 'good girl'
[Krishna] so how did you begin to think differently?
it was my group that helped me think, TF also helped a lot
through a variety of training sessions
when I observe the lives of the women in my neighbourhood
what they are going through is not right, i felt, after joining the group
your joining the group - was it a problem at home?
yes, my parents, my father, didn't allow me initially
because in our group boys and girls meet, travel together
my parents objected to that at first
they didn't like boys and girls being together
we sometimes have to stay overnight as a group
then my parents wanted me to return before dark
I wasn't allowed nights out
I used to face such challenges at home, even the community
I brought my parents to some of these events
and explain to them about the issues our group works on
so now they support me a lot, and accept the group
let me tell you a bit about what we do in our group
we work on child rights
violence against women
health, environmental awareness
we've organised a number of camps and community events
on health, we organised a community event on *** & AIDS
there are many misconceptions about *** & AIDS amongst people in our community
we organised a small event to raise awareness about it, lots of people attended
you could say it was an achievement for the group
[K] so how has being in a group affected your life?
being in the group has taught me to think for myself
it gave me a sense of self, I am Bandana, i can take my own decisions
no one has the right force me, I have every right to make my own decisions
the fact that I'm speaking with you, that confidence
the fact that i'm working as a computer operator
conversing with people at work
that confidence, is a result of joining the group
I am able to facilitate various workshops, I could not do that before
before if asked to talk to people, or handle an event
i would shrink away
but now, i dont have to think twice!
of course i can facilitate a workshop
that's the kind of confidence I've got from the group
[K] so what is it about this group that will attract other young people?
firstly our group welcomes all kinds of young people
we really enjoy being in the group
young people who have not been able to join the group for some reason
I think they realise that they are missing out
being in the group has helped me discover myself
we get a chance to explore and discover ourselves
the group provides that kind of a space
we have become aware of many things, I feel
for me it has been a space for sharing
things I cant really discuss with parents, or elsewhere
I can share because my opinions are valued here
it gives us the experience of working together
if we see a problem in the community, we collectively...
...can confront the issue
when Bandana was going through a tough time
a friend introduced her to the Ujaan group
the group was formed by our Krishna-di, in 2008
it's a youth club, but not at all like the others in the neighbourhood
it's not about boys chatting and playing carrom
its a space where girls and boys discuss community issues
and look for solutions
in that process they use different games and tools
these tools are part of a special curriculum
this training is provided by thoughtsop foundation
here, Ujaan members are playing a game with kids in the neighbourhood
to discuss Child Rights
[K] how old do you think the mother is?
in Ujaan, Bandana has found a new identity
she's concerned not only about her own future, but also that of her neighbourhood
there are so many women who are not as lucky as Bandana
as Ujaan, we are working towards turning the tide
as a group, that is our dream, our goal