A leg crippled by polio did not stop his desire for justice. And Kuhu Das, work and family has left to found the Association of Women With Disabilities and employment of disabled girls in the slums of India. support in our struggle for their rights, against physical barriers but also mentally.
"I can start the interview with a song?" Before you get a response, Kuhu Das creates a sweet and melancholy song eastern sporting a beautiful female voice. Then he stops and returns to the usual resolute tone: "Want to know what the words mean? Here:" I do not get treatment, do not get respect, I have no dignity, I have a terrible life. " This is what the song says. " And this is the situation of disabled women in India, tells us how the young director dell'Awwd (Association of Women With Disabilities).
abuse and exclusion
"Disabled women in India suffer in silence a violence that goes by the lack of care and the deprivation of the right to education, to real physical and psychological abuse and proper. This happens from the family, to the reception centers, "he said, stressing that the problem tends to be ignored even by organizations that deal with human rights." Not at conferences on women's rights, or in meetings for the protection of disabled if they want to talk. So, I must always speak out! "With big bright eyes and a ready sense of humor, Kuhu has come, in spite of the leg crippled by polio, more road than his young face would believe. Beginning with the creation of one of the first associations for the protection of disabled women in India, the first in which the shareholders and 60 -70 percent of the staff is made up of girls with disabilities.
"I can not walk without crutches because of polio, which I had in three years. Growing up with this disability, I faced many obstacles in my life," says Kuhu explaining the path that led her to found and direct the Awwd. "The first challenge came from his relatives and family friends. Many of them said to my mother that he must have done something wrong in his past life, for being punished with a disabled child." Kuhu says that despite criticism, the mother was very strong, sustainable way to school and complete his education. So Kuhu graduated, took a master's degree in mass communication and began working in the field of empowerment women in India. "But women's organizations, it never worked for the rights of disabled people and asked them to take care when told to do it myself," he says. "It was a challenge for me, but I've decided. I quit my job, my family and I founded this association."
Women
In mid 2002, so did the Awwd, the first Indian association which takes care of women with disabilities involving some of the beneficiaries in work support and social integration and employment of other girls. A huge challenge in a country where, as Kuhu complaint, "the 40 million disabled women are twice as many victims of aggression and violence, than normal cells, but are also the least protected and assisted. "And where" forced sterilization is a risk of all women with disabilities, especially mentally. "" In general in Central Asia - said Kuhu - woman's role is to marry and have children, but if you are disabled you will not be a good mother, a good housewife. If you have a deformity, you're beautiful. So no one will marry you. And no one considers you a complete woman .
Awwd The director goes on to describe the situation that daily fights his association: "The girls with disabilities are already very oppressed in their families: no one thinks they should have the opportunity to study, on each investment of them is considered a waste of money. Are left at home and that's it. They are told over and over that people are useless, so who are beginning to be convinced themselves. Dell'Awwd fundamental aspect of the work, which currently operates in 15 areas of the country, benefiting about 5,000 girls, is therefore a priority: "To make them understand, that no person is useless, everyone is a human being and has the potential to be used at most, you should be ashamed of their disability. This will lead girls to have a dialogue with the rest of society, to demand the respect and consideration they deserve. "
restore confidence
" When we start to work in a new area, we sit down and discuss with women looking for a long time to pull out their anger, the abuse, but also the desires that have never been able to express. "Then the association seeks to support individual projects with material resources, such as wheelchairs and computers, and training courses. "But the path of awareness is not easy nor fast - Kuhu says - is a work on the girls but also about their family that lasts 2-3 years . It 'difficult, especially in the slums with a Muslim majority, where the community has more traditional ideas. "This group are created:" So the girls can support each other, express their suffering and understand the loro diritti, per poter rispondere agli abusi, fisici e psicologici di cui sono vittime". Le attività lavorative in cui le ragazze, vengono inserite sono soprattutto lavori di cucito e piccole attività commerciali. "Quando iniziano a guadagnare dei soldi, nelle famiglie cominciano a rispettarle di più".
"Abbiamo molte storie di successo! " Esclama Kuhu, mostrando le foto di alcune delle sue ragazze, raccolte in un calendario nella sede di Pangea Onlus , la ong italiana che sostiene alcuni progetti di Awwd. "Presto ho capito che nell'associazione non potevo fare tutto da sola, avevamo bisogno di varie altre leader come me. Così abbiamo formato alcune delle ragazze che erano state beneficiarie empowerment groups, the leadership of new groups. "This role has not found obstacles in the lack of mobility or views of some women staff Awwd. " Tabassum is blind but has become a very courageous leader "," Soni , which has a physical disability, he reasoned that Ayesha is blind, "" She was badly abused, but failed to react "," Banya has created a small business producing incense sticks ".. And then there are Nisha as those who had never gone to school because of his physical disability, but after getting training for the opening of a business has become a small entrepreneur who is a trainer and promoter group empowerment. Now he considers "a businesswoman and an employer." Economic independence is essential, Kuhu says: "Now the whole community is careful to talk to these girls."
also published in the journal Vps (Volunteer Development): www.volontariperlosviluppo.it
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