Puja Indira Mahila Kendra shows the way to SHGs Puja Indira Mahila Kendra [PIMK], led by the troika of Bertie Menezes, Seema Pokle and Annie Rodrigues, is a conglomerate of five Self-help Groups[SHGs] in the village of Uccasaim-Bardez near Mapusa. The five SHGs--Teja, Subhadra, Priti, Sumangal and Sidhi-- are all women's groups engaged in embroidery,crochet,sewing,pickle-making and other traditional trades in the village. They have old sewing machines of their own but lacked an unit that could do button-holes, bidding, tacking and other operations that city-based tailors take for granted. The committee members of the Mahila Kendra approached the Rotary Club of Mapuca for assistance. Rtn. Avadhut Tukaram Pokle immediately agreed and his Board of Directors supported him in this worthy activity.
At a simple function near the Rashtroli temple at Pokem Bhat-Uccasaim, Rtn.Pamela Cabral handed over the machine to Ms.Bertie Menezes of PIMK in the presence of Mr.Basburao Verlekar, the local Sarpanch. Speaking on the occasion, Rtn.Pamela said it was her privilege to be amongst the women who had empowered themselves. NGOs like the Rotary Club can assist the women, but it is the women who have to empower themselves, she said. Rtn.Pamela reminded the women that they are not an 'inferior' gender. In professions like doctors, engineers, police officers, managers or bus conductors, women are second to none. Women like Kalpana Chawla have even gone into space. " In fact,women are better equipped to handle professional work and a home life",she said. " What we lack at times is the determination and confidence in ourselves" she addded while goading the women to come out from the shadows of their homes and step out into the bright light of the competitive world as equals of man. Sarpanch Baburao spoke very candidly. Everyone had heard of the Rotary Club , he said, but this is the first time we are seeing any Rotary Club doing good work in this village. While thanking the club for donating the sewing machine and attachments, he asked the PIMK members to use the machine as if it was their own. " Oil it when needed and repair it when it breaks down." he said while offering financial support for its maintenance. He encouraged those women who do not know how to operate the machine, to form a group of 15 members so that he could request for a tailoring class under the DRDA scheme. Responding to a plea by Agatha Vaz on behalf of PIMK not to grant licence to liquor vends/taverns in the village and to stop illegal vends, the Sarpanch reiterated his earlier assurance that no new bars would be permitted during his tenure. As regards illegal sale of alcohol, he asked the affected persons to give him a small hand written note with the details and that he would take immediate action to stop such malpractices. He remembered with pride that Rtn Shantaram Shet, Director [Vocational Services] who was seated besides him today was once seated in the same class when St.Xavier's College functioned in the adjoining village of Bastora during the mid 1960s. Earlier Rtn.Avadhut Pokle, Rtn Miguel Braganza, Mrs.Bertie Menezes and Mrs.Seema Pokle also spoke. The sewing machine was presented as part of the Women's Empowerment project of the Club with Rtn.Pamela Cabral as the chairperson. She will interact with the SHGs regarding their training needs in bakery, confectionery, F & B service and the on going Pulse Polio programme with the next dose due on 04 January, 2004. for Rotary Club of Mapuca Miguel Braganza Director[Youth Services] --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.543 / Virus Database: 337 - Release Date: 11/21/2003 ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
