All-Dalit woman collective helps those affected by Covid-19 crisis get jobs

Raichur: That the Covid-19 crisis has rained hardship even on those dwelling in places far from the breath of the pandemic is an accepted fact, and yet the efforts of those who have gone beyond the call of duty to ease the suffering of the people, the livelihood of whom has been rendered uncertain by the lockdown, have not been sufficiently highlighted. The all-Dalit woman collective Jagrata Mahila Sanghatana (JMS) is one such organisation that has helped the underprivileged put food on the plates of their family members in these distressing times.
Spearheaded by Narasamma and Chinnamma, the organisation has helped more than 2,000 households spread across 50 remote villages in Raichur district make ends meet. Working out of a small hut-like structure in Manvi village that serves as their office, the two women spend most of the day dialling various panchayat development officers (PDOs) seeking jobs for the impoverished families under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
Starting from getting those approaching them for help getting job cards to ensuring timely payment of wages, members of the sanghatana are handling all processes end-to-end. Leelavati Janekal, one of those who has benefitted from the timely aid of the organisation, said, “The government offers us rice and tur dal, but where are we to go for other essential items? But for the sanghatana, many of us would have faced a very uncertain future.”
Narasamma, a core committee member of the outfit, said, “In the past year, we helped around 1,000 families get the necessary cards and documents. We helped 1,000 more households during the lockdown. Our efforts helped members in families of around 150 migrant workers from neighbouring states get work.”
Shruthi, who has worked with Amnesty International in the past and is coordinating with the sanghatana, said that the primary objective of the collective was the emancipation of Dalits. “In addition to helping members of the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) communities get jobs, the collective is working in the healthcare sector, particularly antenatal and postnatal care. The sanghatana has realised the value of employment during the lockdown and is working proactively to help the poor secure jobs,” she added.
Sharanamma Jultapur, another woman who has the sanghatana to thank for getting her a job, said that nearly 30 households in her village were now sustaining themselves owing to the timely aid of the collective.