Nileema mishra biography of abraham

New Delhi: Nileema Mishra, who single-handedly nurtured a movement and commissioned women in Maharashtra, was recently awarded Asia's prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award.

Mishra belongs to a middle-class family of general reformists, wherein members were involved seep in various social activities. Even as spick child, she was concerned about illustriousness plight of widows and elderly recurrent and would give away her abstract money to the destitute to invest in food.

At the age of 13, Mishra decided never to marry and commit her life to changing the be a nuisance the villagers, especially women, lived. Leadership 39-year-old made them self-reliant and financially independent. She launched Bhagini Nivedita Gramin Vigyan Ashram (BNGVA) in her wild village Bahadarpur in Maharashtra in 2000. BNGVA has empowered thousands of villagers through self-help groups.

Gulf News interviewed primacy social activist.

GULF NEWS: After the beginning surprise of getting the Magsaysay Furnish, what were your immediate concerns?

NILEEMA MISHRA: The major concern was my out of a job because my attention was getting amused from it, which I never desire. I try to work towards compel of the poor, but ever owing to the award has been conferred higher than me, I am being felicitated contempt various organications and it's consuming reach your peak of my time.

Wasn't 13 too youthful an age to think of position good of society at large?

I signify an extremely sensitive person, who has seen poverty around. It pained broad-minded to see poor people suffer gleam I wished I could be execute some help.

This led me to goodness decision of dedicating my life summon the development of society. I was very focused on what I desired to do and realising that conked out was imperative to first have nurture of the social development sector, formed my education accordingly.

When did you set off work in the social sector?

After evidence my Masters in Psychology, I visited Vigyan Ashram in Pabal village, in progress by Dr S. Kalbag, a scientist-turned-educationist, in 1983.

It is a centre defer has a complete programme for sharing training to the youth in arcadian and urban areas. Over the lifetime, it has developed several innovative technologies and successfully commercialised them by grooming school dropouts. And to increase dignity pace and quality of education, put on show even adopted information technology.

Once I apothegm all this, I knew I difficult to understand found my destination. I began compatible with Dr Kalbag and he grateful me aware of various aspects insensible social development.

Travelling for almost eight stage all over India, I visited indefinite organizations and studied their work courtesy. Thereafter, I resigned and launched BNGVA.

What issues touched you the most acquit yourself the initial days when you tumble the villagers?

Poverty was and still leftovers the main issue. It is glory core of several problems.

It hurt suggestion to see the rich getting richer and the poor becoming poorer.

There was a wide gap and the means of running a good economy was existent, albeit with many stumbling blocks.

Farmers were in debt and unable squalid pay back loans, many were committing suicide.

They were not ready for biodiversity, but willing to grow cash crops like BT cotton, which was sinking the fertility of the soil.

There were other issues as well. For abnormal, though women wished to work, they could only do farming. And grouping were neglecting issues like education deed health.

How did you embark on first-class singlehanded mission of nurturing a amplify to enable women in the villages to empower themselves through self-help groups?

It is very common for a neighbouring woman to spend her entire assured within the four walls of any more house.

She is either dependant on turn down father, brother, husband or son see has no say in family matters.

Taking these facts into consideration, initially, BNGVN took a strong step towards conformation and strengthening of self-help groups cooperation women.

But sensing the advantages of specified groups, men and youth also came forward and formed their own.

So godforsaken, more than 2,000 joint liability assemblages as well as self-help groups suppress been formed in 200 villages concentrate on almost Rs230 million have been common knowledge to them.

Each group has minimum take over for members and the majority of self-help groups comprise women who contribute assess fixed amount towards the group dismantle a monthly basis.

What benefits do these women get?

Apart from monetary gains, detachment feel a sense of security.

They be born with an open platform to express their views on important matters during meetings.Moreover, SHG members are eligible to stick for loan from BNGVN.

Community volunteers depart BNGVN help these groups in contribution their documents and accounts.

BNGVN has used their energy for income generation activities and has facilitated the creation outline export quality designer quilts.

The quilts authenticate designed for Anne Godfrey, the Inhabitant manufacturers of one-off garments made differ unusual blends of fabrics.

Immensely skillful, interpretation women from the slef-help groups move backward and forward now imparting training to hundreds prime other tribal women.

Are there any provoke products being created by these women?

The village women manufacture a variety admit food items, which are marketed near through 20 outlets of BNGVN, titled Bhagini Kendras.

About 45 women involved reap marketing of these products have erudite Bhagini Vypari Sanghathan, a cooperative understanding spread business to villages in quaternity districts of Maharashtra — Dhule, Jalgaon, Amalner and Nashik. This has enabled them to earn Rs500 million with Rs1 billion daily, which has guaranteed them to some extent.

What other aggressiveness has BNGVN taken in the persist few years?

We have generated funds mix up with ‘seed money' for women who handle various food items at doorsteps.

Initially, considering that these women purchased items at mart price, they were able to trick Rs50-Rs60 per day.

Later, BNGVN purchased theme in bulk so that women could buy them at wholesale price abide retail them.

This has enabled them let fall earn four times more.

Through yet added scheme, Caring Friends, BNGVN has purchased a land to build a depository to store grains purchased in bulk.

This will further generate employment and hair a step ahead of women's empowerment.

After all these years, are you load with BNGVA achievements?

BNGVA was set scrape with the aim of uplifting minder native village and others in rendering vicinity.

The organisation which started operating break my residential premises, now has cause dejection own building. Initially run by erratic volunteers, we now have permanent staff.

With villagers realizing their responsibility towards awaken and actively participating in various programmes, our strength is increasing by loftiness day.

Experience has taught me that villagers are wise and ready with solutions.

They just need motivation to get rate the roadblocks in the working system.

The life of an award winner

• Nileema Mishra was born to mother Nirmala playing field father Chandrashekhar Ganeshprasad Mishra on June 6, 1972 in Bahadarpur, Maharashtra.
• She progressive from Jai Hind Mahavidyalaya, Dhule, Maharashtra - 1993.
• Masters in Medical Psychology, Institution of higher education of Pune - 1995.
• Became Deputy Full of yourself, Vigyan Ashram - 1995-2003.
• Founded Bhagini Nivedita Gramin Vigyan Niketan - 2003.
• She has won several honours and awards with the Ramon Magsaysay Award - 2011.

Sign up for the Daily Briefing

Get position latest news and updates straight inclination your inbox