SpalzesWangmo, Ladakh
“We are 10 members in the group. All of us work as labourers in summer and in winter, we gather at the centre and weave carpet or ‘tsugdn’. We have learned the skill from our parents. We buy wool from Changthangfor INR 450 for 2 kg and we charge INR 9,500 for each pair in the market. Our profit has gone up compared to what we would earn initially,” said Tsering Lanzom President of DebringTsogspa, an SHG. Tsering belongs to one of the several nomad families who move down from the heights of Changthang plateau to Leh seeking work mainly during winter when the Leh-Manali road closes. Many of them are drawn to the better opportunities for earning a livelihood and education for their children.
The SHG has been Initiated by women from these families settled in Kharnakling colony, Choglamsar village close to Leh city. During the winter months when labour work is not easily available, the group earns approximately aroundINR 30,000 to 40,000r.
For 35-year-old Tashi Chonzom from Nyoma village joining the SHGturned out to be a blessing. Tashi was pregnant when she got divorced and with no source of income, she was worried how she would bring up her child. However at the SHG she learned carpet weaving and began to earn money, bringing with it a renewed faith in herself.” After giving material including wool, yarn for designing, I get INR. 2000 only for weaving. In the summer I work as a labourer with Army. With income from both sources, I can dream of better future for my child” said Tashi. The Indian Army has a sizable presence in Ladakh. This has opened livelihood opportunities for the local community such as manual labour, transport and a market for daily goods.
For Chonzom Zangmo, 40 also from a nomad community, the move to Leh was so that she could be with her three children, studying in the city. Zangmotoo combines work as a labourer in summer with spinning wool during winter months. She too is a part of the SHG involved in carpet weaving. She believes that working in a group increases the productivity; the shared energy, enthusiasm fuels the output. Echoing the sentiments of many women, Zangmo says “Although you don’t become completely self-independent, you feel good that you don’t have to depend only on your husband for money. “One of the biggest benefits she says is the loan facility for SHG members at zero interest. Loans are also available for women outside the group but in this case, interest is charged.
There have been challenges on the way. Nyerma Thundel Tsogspa, SHG in Thiksay village which has seven members talks about a time when several members quit the group saying that it was not giving them much income. It was a tough time says Tsetan Dolma, 54, President of the group but now they have diversified, ” In summer, we grow vegetable and to support us, a green house was provided by Sadbhavna . We also earn by loading bricks in trucks. The Handloom Department gives us wool to spin on fixed terms and this too becomes a source of income. With all this, we have been able to sustain our group.”, she says. Operation Sadbhavna undertaken by the India Army in several states including J&K and undertakes a slew of measures towards development and community welfare.
Besides giving women another option to earn their livelihoods near their homes, SHGs have helped revive traditional craft of the region such as carpet weaving, Although some of the women inherited the skill from their parents, many picked it up at the centre itself. The Shashi SHG formed in 2010 in Chuchot village actively promotes a variety of local handicraft at the district and state level.
With increased earnings, women are able to contribute to social and cultural life of their community. “Sometimes, from our savings, we donate for various purposes in the village including restoration of monasteries”, they say with a sense of quiet pride. Several SHGs take steps to keep water bodies clean; promote practices to protect the fragile ecology of this cold desert region. They also work to raise awareness on issues of health and hygiene amongst the community.
Other organisations have been drawn to their work and support has grown. Impressed by SHGs in Mudh village, Changthang, Leh Nutrition Project built a solar home and a green house as well as organised sessions for women on learning new skills and technology. LNP took the initiative to organise an exposure trip to Himachal Pradesh where women were provided training in design and production of handloom items. Further it provided a weaving machine to the group at a subsidised rate.
It is interesting that the first Women SHGs were established in Ladakh in 1995, under the Watershed Development Programme – nearly a decade later than in other regions of the country, Thesehave proliferated since, facilitated by a number of NGOs and Government agencies.In a region that battles extreme weather conditions and poor access, SHGs have proved to be havens for women collectives to learn and share, earn an income during lean winter months and contribute to social and cultural affairs of the community.
(Charkha Features)
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