120) Living with Aids -5

The HIV project made me interact with the USAIDS team and meeting them was invariably a pleasurable one. Learning too

The other day, Govind the state head narrated a wonderful field experience.

Amidst tea and a gold flake, he said, “Naresh, each field visit gives hope. Last week I was in Uttar Pradesh and I saw a real transformation.

This is this woman Ramshila Singh, in her 30s and as typical as they come. These women cover these faces with saris and rarely leave their homes without company. Infact, they don’t even join in a conversation when the men folks are there.

We started a project on family population as UP as the highest birth rate over 2.4% and enlisted women volunteers for the project. Initially, it was really tough to even get to meet these women and the word family planning, a big taboo.

We hit pay dirt with Ramshila Singh; a very traditional and respected woman in the community. Our task was to have these volunteers invite couples to talk about family planning issues, educate them about birth spacing and distribute condoms.

Ramshila persuaded her husband and mother-in-law to allow her to become a volunteer, but like many of the volunteers, she initially didn't know much about contraception. She was so shy that she could hardly talk. But gradually she built relationships and was sought out by female clients to accompany them for reproductive and other health services.

Now Ramshila says she talks to everyone - even men - and they come to her home for advice. Sometimes they ask who will take on the risk and responsibility if their wives suffer complications due to family planning. "I will," she says.
Because of her reputation and her strong community relationships, Ramshila was elected Pradhan - chief - of her village, defeating even party candidates who had bought votes.

Her husband is proud of her. "I could never have won that election," he says.
Will she run again? "Why should I leave my job in the middle?" she asks
Govind winked at me and said,” Though you advertising guys make more money, we get more satisfaction”.

I nodded my head and gave him a hearty hand shake,” I know”.