Creating Collective Courage : Ankur’s Transformative Work of Building Single Women into Leaders and a Community

Imagine a life where your dignity is suffocated by the four walls of your own home.

For Janata Tai, living in Beed in rural Maharashtra, this was a grim reality after becoming a widow. Not only had both her natal family as well as children turned into voices of disdain, but also each time a family member stepped out, she was bolted shut inside, to ensure that her existence to the outside world was denied, since she had lost her husband’s shadow that was the necessary requirement for accessing public life in any form. Think of what that would do to one’s sense of identity and self-worth, think of the sheer weight of the isolation, think of the gnawing vulnerability eating up any hopes and dreams.

Now, however, not only does Janata Tai independently move about in the village whenever she desires, but she is also the elected Sarpanch and a leader figure in the mahila mandal for single women. This profound transformation no doubt required great courage from Janata Tai- however, what really harnessed this courage was the sense of power that comes with being part of a collective- a collective that not only supports you in discovering yourself but also is ready to be your cushion as you take bold steps forward in life. The mandal provides the security that there will be all kinds of support provided, right from a shelter to a shoulder. That is key, because having a community supporting you in action and not just in thoughts, is critical in fighting back something as deeply numbing as violence inflicted by your own family.

Photo Creds: Ankur

This community of action was enabled by Anita Tai, an incredible Parity Lab fellow fiercely advocating for the rights of single women. Anita has set up Ankur, an organization that supports marginalized unpartnered women in accessing livelihood support and safe spaces via formation of collectives. Ankur has connected women who were earlier not even allowed to talk to each other because of patriarchal restrictions and caste differences, to create communities where members not only know each other’s stories inside out, but are now essential part of those stories as well.

Ankur is steering a massive ripple effect by building leaders from women who have been abandoned by their families and societies in various ways, such as Janata Tai. These leaders are not just mahila mandal leaders- these are women from minority religions aiming to join Panchayati Raj Institutions. These are women mobilising other women to complete their formal education. These are women putting up Savitribai’s portrait in temples to occupy public space with progressive thought, these are women starting a movement to reclaim their identities by changing their surnames to that of their mothers’ to reflect whose legacy they want to carry forward.

Ankur has tirelessly knocked on the doors of every home they could find, identifying a vast pool of unpartnered women living with injustice. The team has patiently built connections by visiting these women in their workspaces, such as flour grinding sites and farm fields, because these are the only places the women can set foot outside the home (as their family wants them to earn the money only to take it from them). This is where the journey toward empowerment begins: from casually conversing at workspaces to gathering the courage to attend Ankur’s mobilization meetings in public spaces, to ultimately raising their voices in unison.

Photo Creds: Ankur

Anita’s astounding capacity to care for everyone around her means she will be standing by the side of even those women who might not be directly associated with Ankur. Her dedication draws more people into Ankur’s mission, amplifying its impact. A poignant example of this is how Anita sprang into action to save the life of a female government official brutally attacked by her own brother in her government office. The assault, fueled by familial rage over her inter-caste marriage, left the woman with a fractured skull. Anita rushing to her side without hesitation and staying with her till recovery not only helped to save the official’s life but also forged an enduring alliance. Today, that official stands as a steadfast supporter and advisor to Ankur, her position now fueling the organization’s work.

Despite all this, Anita and the Ankur team are humble to the extent of severely understating their work and power. As they empower those around them to recognize their worth, they too grapple with the need for support in embracing their own achievements. The field visit uncovered for us at Parity Lab, the true extent of the hardwork and all that Ankur had achieved. It has deepened our commitment to helping Anita and her team shed inhibitions to celebrate their successes and share their journey with the world unapologetically, and it is exciting to think that Parity Lab itself provides Anita with more of a community by connecting her to grassroots leaders such as herself working in various regions of India.

 

by Smriti Singh, Associate Program Manager at Parity Lab