Photo credit: Chandra Kiran Katta
In India, social injustices are particularly numerous. In order to help the most vulnerable people to get out of the vicious circle of poverty and exclusion, Aide et Action supports them and accompanies them in their efforts to access their rights.
Victims of discrimination linked to their social origin, their Vijayalakshmi and Gouramma are two Indian sisters living in Kinnisadak, Kalaburgi district. Belonging to a Dalit family - a category of people at the very bottom of the social ladder in India - they faced great difficulties in their daily lives. To make their lives easier, our community mobiliser provided them with access to at Indian state aid. They can now lead a better life.
Cumulative inequalities and injustices
Because of the family's extreme poverty, Vijayalakshmi and Gouramma's father decided to disinherit his daughters and give the two hectares of land to his only son. Deprived of any opportunity, the two disabled sisters worked irregularly as day labourers in the neighbouring fields for a meagre salary of Rs. 100 per day, or about 1 euro.
Advice and guidance
When our community mobiliser interacted with them as part of a project in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Karnataka, it turned out that the young women were not aware of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or the existence of the disability pension scheme.
Through orientation sessions organized by Aide et Action, the sisters were able to express their willingness to subscribe to these grants. The mobilizer promptly facilitated the process and within days, Vijayalakshmi and Gouramma received work cards and disability pensions. They now earn Rs.275 each per day and lead a more dignified life.
The project from which the two young women benefited has also enabled more than 28,000 people in the Bagalkot and Kalburgi districts of Karnataka to obtain work cards and be guaranteed a salary for 100 days a year.
