Baglung

This blog thing is harder to do than I thought. Days seem to fly by and then suddenly I remember I have a zillion things I want to write down, but by then there's so much to say and I struggle knowing where to start.
So, where do I start? I think I'll finish off my first field visit with ADWAN, although that was (already!!!) two weeks ago!

Buddha's Birthplace! 

Lower Terai

We left Arghakhanchi early in the morning and reached Pokhara late that night. It was a crazy day of travel, as we had intended to take what all the villagers assured us would be a “maximuium thirty minute” detour to see Buddha’s birthplace. Having studied Buddhism in Ladakh, I was particularly keen on the idea and it didn’t seem like such a hassel. WRONG! It included some crazy bus rides, wayyy too reminiscent of India or Bangladesh. It was great to see the lower Terai, with its flat green patty fields, but the attitude and energy of the people and culture was different – a more charged, less friendly vibe. We managed though, and soon we were headed back into the mountains with the gutsiest (reckless??) bus driver I have had, and that’s saying a lot!

Bindu receives an mala 

We woke up the next morning ready for the final stretch to reach Baglung, and I felt a calm and positive energy return. I could tell it would be a good day, and it certainly was! After a wonderfully uneventful jeep ride (by Nepal standards), Sarasoti, the regional field worker, met us and we started out on the upward hike to her village. Much to our luck, a local jeep driver let us climb into the caged back with his rice bags and baby chickens, saving us about two hours of uphill walking. After reaching her home and settling in for a bit, we headed back down the hillside to meet with ADWAN sponsored girls and two women’s groups.

We visited a house where a young girl began receiving sponsorship starting three years ago. Her father suffers from paralysis on one side of his body, making it very difficult for him to walk or be hired for work. As a result, his wife ran away, leaving her daughter behind. The two were struggling to find meals each day, and, at the time, school was not even a remote possibility. The village’s women group tipped off ADWAN’s head office, and the young girl began to receive sponsorship. The women’s group invited her and her father to become special members, and they now have a small loan for chickens, which should be able to provide a little income. It was gut wrenching to be face-to-face with such an intense poverty level, but the girl’s clear confidence and pride in attending school was a bright light. Together we went to the women’s group meeting in town to start collecting information and more stories.

I learned quickly that guests are expected to dance! 

These two groups were “twin sisters,” as they started as one group but grew in numbers and so they broke apart to be more manageable. The women were eager to talk, and shared about their policies and accomplishments. I was struck by how ADWAN is really flexible and allows the groups the independence to self-monitor and develop. Each group I met with has installed different policies to make the programs work for themselves. For example, the seed money/internal loan and saving program runs differently for every group. Some groups have faced problems with repayment and have instituted policies to address this issue. However, each group, being an independent and autonomous entity, has different rules. One shared how they double the interest rate if it is not paid on time, while another charges 20 NR for every 1,000 NR for every month that the loan is late. It’s amazing to see how naturally these developments have occurred and reinforces that ADWAN/EDWON is a grassroots organization. It allows for effective programs, reflecting a positive feedback loop! Furthermore, I think these policies are one way to measure the impact of the training that ADWAN provides, as it shows the women are becoming leaders and working together as community to problem solve.

View of rice field overlooking valley

The last day of meeting groups had more intense hiking. Again, we met some incredible women leaders. The day brought forth highs and lows, like a mom who has successfully fought caste discrimination that originally denied her a job to a young girl who really needs a sponsorship to continue her education. There have been many times different potential I.S. topics which have crossed my mind, and I’m definitely drawn to the idea of exploring something about leadership. I think that ADWAN’s women’s groups provide those who have innate leadership skills a platform to develop and initiate change that benefits the community. I was drawn to microcredit due to the women’s empowerment aspect, but I think I’ve discovered that it is really the structure of the women’s group that is so crucial. 

Women's Group Member, Health Worker & Community Leader 

I’ve also been thinking a lot about privilege. One of the most memorable moments at my first environmental action training I attended was a discussion about the privilege of protest. Those who are naturally given power within a system are often the ones that are given the most luxury for speaking out. We were discussing the ability to attend a protest on climate change, an issue that impacts us all, but the person suffering from sea level rises in Bangladesh can’t make changes in American oil policy or person struggling financially may not be able to take a day off, even if they care about the issue. In talking with women’s groups about caste discrimination, they reiterated the same sentiment, but from the opposite side. They discussed the importance of including other castes in human rights education, as higher castes must also become aware of the discrimination they are encouraging or partaking in. It links right into the race riots in the USA this past week. I guess I’ve been surprised to find these connections of  universal human themes, although I shouldn't really be. Those in power must become educated, and they must stand up alongside those who have been disempowered to try and create change. 

Arghakhanchi

Many of you have reached out with kind words about this blog and it caught me off guard, in a good way. I write these posts mostly for myself, so that I will have a place to go to remember all these experiences, like I am able to do with the Ladakh blog (btw, what in the world was I thinking with that bright pink background??). With that in mind, I've been increasingly aware of how I portray this experience. The people I’m meeting are human and I am learning of only a snapshot, and the situations I'm seeing are complex and multi-pronged. Nothing here represents a full or accurate picture, but only a glimpse into my personal experience. Anyways, keep reading, forgivingly and kindly! :)

Subhakala and I walking to her house! 

            Traveling to the first village could be its own blog post, but I’ll let that slide for now. When we reached Arghakhanchi, 12 hours after leaving KTM, Subhakala, ADWON’s regional field worker, greeted us. She insisted on buying us a cup of chiya, while everyone on the road craned their neck to check out me, the bideeysha (foreigner). Arghakhanchi is remote and poor, which means I/NGOs are frequent visitors, and tourists are not. Leaving the town we walked UP for about an hour and a half before reaching her house.

            Subhakala was the first community hero I met of the week. In the few short days spent at her house, it was obvious that she is a cherished and respected figure. She works with ADWON, is a trained community health worker and assists other NGOs in providing aid in the region. Although the language barrier was pretty big, Subhakala quickly made it clear that I was to call her my Nepal ama (mother), and she made me feel so welcome! I remember being pleasantly surprised the first evening at how she plunked herself next to me on the bed and grabbed my hand and smiled. Her daughter was just a little older than me, and together the two made the best team of home stay hosts I’ve ever had in a village! 

First day of field work

            The first full day left me worried and overwhelmed. Everything was very real, from the men that stood in doorways, noiselessly dominating and silencing the women, to the chaos of collecting data on the number of school-aged children and literacy levels. Eventually, once Bindu and I asked the men to leave the porch, I heard stories like the ones I’ve been reading in academic literature and on the news. Caste discrimination, domestic violence, lack of education, alcohol abuse. Hit repeat, and you have the common themes of the week. The first two groups were certainly the two weakest that we saw, but being my first impression of ADWON’s ground level I felt troubled as I struggled to find women that provided signs of positive growth.

Loving on momma! 

There was one woman who sat in the middle of the group with her young baby boy. He was learning to walk and all the women took their turns coo-ing over his antics. His mom had a great smile that stretched from ear-to-ear and clearly gave encouragement to the young girls listening in on the group to the older grandmother whose belly laugh sparked a chain of chuckles. She was twenty-two years old, just two years older than me, and had only attended school until class four. She could not read and write, and had been married for a while. She had recently taken a loan for a goat, with the hopes of selling its baby and making a profit of about 5,000 NR (~ $50 USD). It was really hard to hear her story and I quickly realized that going down the road of comparing our lives would lead nowhere helpful, so I nestled it inside me to digest at another time. Even now, I can do all the comparisons (like how one night’s babysitting would earn me double that price at home, or how she had her first baby the age I started college), but I’m not sure its productive. It left me increasingly aware that recording the survey data and writing notes for stories in my notebook is a privilege, as putting pen to paper is a skill not accessible to all.

Leader of a new group!

The meeting came to a close, and we headed 30 minutes to a third, unofficially affiliated women’s group of ADWON. I was shocked on my first day in the ADWON office to hear that ADWON’s model is spreading between villages without the help from any staff. Women in villages are hearing about the groups and starting their own savings groups, without the incentive of seed money or scholarships. I was really excited to have the opportunity to meet with the leader of the initiative. I learned that they had been approached to start a group back in 2006, but had been uninterested. However, eight years later, they have been encouraged by the success of their village’s neighboring women and want a second chance. They have no expectations to receive benefits from ADWON, but have plans to continue their initiative. I learned that women’s group are far more often approached by additionally NGOs as the structure/organization allows for easier dissemination of information, supplies or other aid. This increased visibility is a huge incentive for joining a group, or, in this case, creating one. Even the groups we met with earlier that day shared stories of receiving a water tap and agriculture training, as a result of having the women’s group structure required by ADWON. This incentive is not one that I’ve read about widely in academic literature, either!

I went to bed more optimistic and interested to see what other groups would bring. I remember thinking, before dozing off to sleep, about the meaning of this “empowerment.” I feared the word was simply hip rhetoric of developmental aid, much like the word “sustainability.” At the time, it seemed like a great way to sell a product and gain donations, but perhaps a bit lacking in reality. The groups we met with on Tuesday, however, changed my mind and embodied a definition that radiates confidence, leadership, curiosity and courage. It was apparent from when I sat down with them that something was different. The energy and confidence was soaring and they were brimming with excitement to share their thoughts. Unlike the day before, when Bindu and I had to ask the men to leave, these women booted the men from the room in about five minutes. They harassed them in a giant chorus, chiding them for being in their women’s space. It was awesome!

Day 2: Group Meeting

Quickly the mood turned more somber, though the energy of the space was never lost. They brought forward the issue of domestic violence with intensity and a clear desire for change, despite the setbacks they shared. One husband is regularly beating a member in the group, and the women have united to try and change his ways. They have made multiple reports to the police, but no action has been taken. So they have gone to the house, several times, to personally appeal to the husband and call him out for his actions. Unfortunately, this has not worked either. It was heartbreaking to hear the woman’s story, but the collective dedication of the village’s women to create change was awe-inspiring. From there came a discussion about the universal bond of women and the responsibility we have to each other to encourage and unite around issues, which left me inspired and humbled.

I had not expected such a united group, especially after the day before. One of the academic articles I read back in the spring discussed the increased social capital that women groups created in India, but I hadn’t anticipated actually seeing such an outcome in person! From that group on, however, every group demonstrated some form of collective bargaining power in their community to prompt change.

Post-Meeting Fun! 

The second group that day only added to the momentum. They showed up with the same energy and quickly revealed their struggles with domestic violence as well. However, they casually and calmly reveled that they had implemented their own village policy to address the issue by fining abusive husbands 500 NR, with the price doubling with every repeated offense. So far, they have admonished five men, and although one or two were repeat offenders at first, the men quickly realized the women were serious and have reportedly stopped the behavior.

To be truthful, it’s a little hard to wrap my Western brain around the concept. I was so skeptical at first, like, you mean, bam, the behavior is changed? Just like that? Sure, I thought. But honestly, I think its real, but its so beyond my personal community upbringing that it is hard to digest. The villages are close and the women know everything about each other (honestly, if you had a question about one woman, the rest could easily answer on her behalf). Additionally, the culture of honor is so strong. Women are traditionally responsible for maintaining a family’s honor, but when this women’s group switched the roles and charged the man for brining shame to the family name, the same force of power seem to be at play.

            Not even half way through the trip, and this such a meager account of the experience! Baglung, the second district, presented even more to think about, but that’s enough for today!

Processing a week in the field

I’m back in Katmandu after a week unlike any other I have ever experienced. I can feel my body aching - physically my calves are sore from the demanding walks between villages and mentally my mind is slowly relaxing after seven days of sensory overload. Despite this, I’m totally and utterly pumped to heading back into the field in just a few short days to visit women’s group and ADWON’s cooperative bank in Gorkha!!!

The night before we left I was up late packing and wondering what the week would be like. As my thoughts wandered, I grew increasingly aware that this trip is really happening. I’ve been dreaming of doing something like this since I was little and here I am living in Nepal with an great organization that works with women. I’m flying solo, building relationships with those I meet in transit, but I am also independent financially thanks to support from two great grants. I've made a few of my dreams come true, and that feels pretty unreal. I went to bed that night energized and in awe of everything.

ADWON Staff (Bindu & Subhakala) and I on tea break!

And then last night, driving back to Katmandu, I felt the same way, times a hundred. I am so grateful as it brought more experiences than I could have imagined. We met with about ten women's groups and almost a dozen scholarship recipients. The conversations repeatedly returned to common themes like domestic violence, Dalit discrimination, education, entrepreneurship and community. I was struck by the issues universal nature, and inspired by the many women heroes I met. 

Community leader and hero 

The last week had some incredible highs and some incredible lows. I would be hearing a success story that left me filled with hope and encouragement, and then I would turn around and hear a story that left me struggling to grasp the horrible unfairness of life. The week had me swinging between the extremes (and occasionally dangling in the middle).

Despite traveling with Bindu (an ADWON board member) as my partner, interpreter and guide, I felt pretty isolated. There was no (native English speaking/foreigner) person to turn to and discuss everything I was seeing and hearing, and so I relied on journaling to empty my mind and re-energize.  I'm still working on pulling together coherent and logical thoughts, but I promise that I'll be sharing them (and accompanying stories) soon! 

Bindu and I

Facing Poverty

Crazy how fast time goes –Dhaka is already growing distant as Nepal becomes more and more of my life! 

GB Interns

While at Grameen Bank, I was with other interns.  We were lucky to have an incredible group of people from all over and who got along really well. We covered the U.S., Canada, China, Indonesia/India, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Singapore (did I get everyone?) – pretty impressive! Together we traveled to Sylhet, completed village visits, explored Dhaka’s expat scene, and managed the day-to-day challenges of living in a developing country.

Rickshaw Art

One of the most memorable parts was a treasure-hunt-like challenge to find rickshaw art. It took Connor (the other American), Simi (from India but lives in Indonesia) and I three trips into the depths of Old Dhaka before we succeeded.

The second day we returned from Old Dhaka in the heat of rush hour, around 4:00 pm. Our CNG driver did his best to avoid traffic by taking us on a long route around the city. We drove through some really poor sections of Dhaka, areas that make you question many things about your identity. At one point, when we were stopped in traffic, I noticed a woman crouched by the side of the road practically up to her knees in garbage. My first thought was “I’d need rain boots before I’d walk in there.” How naïve of me, how demonstrative a thought of my first world upbringing, how easy a life I have had. Next to her was a basket, which she placed items deemed salvageable as she picked through the waste. To be honest, my mind was a little frozen. I was ashamed by my privileged-based immediate reaction and aching at the injustice of fate.

This intensity of poverty is not a new exposure for me, yet it does not get any easier. It leaves me unsettled, angry with the world’s hierarchy and frustrated by the overwhelming complexity of a solution. However, looking at microfinance and women’s empowerment provides me hope, as the dedicated individuals I have met in Nepal are filled with energy and determination.

Visiting Women's Group in Bangladesh

Planning Village Meeting with Bindu, ADWAN Board Member

This Sunday I will depart for a weeklong field visit to women’s groups and interview ADWAN’s “Ambitious Girl Fund” recipients. ADWAN’s target population is the bottom of the hierarchy in Nepali society as they focus on Dalit (the so-called “untouchables”) women. I know there will be many moments that will leave me overwhelmed, but I hope I can remain receptive and grounded.

- T
Posted from Thamel, KTM, Nepal