Friday, October 5

Sightseeing this morning with an impromptu stop at Rajasthan University College of Law. We just walked into the college, met the dean and sat in on a couple of classes. I’m sure they had no idea what to make of us. I think the film cameras went a long way. We also stop at an exquisite temple where Kimberly almost gets escorted off the grounds for taking a photo.

The Hunger Project (THP) – Shabnam, THP Rajasthan State Director, meets us at the hotel at 11:45. We leave for the village at almost 12:45 p.m. We depart on the bus together and she and I begin to talk. She is naturally good at what she does. Shabnam comments that what she does is not work but is simply what she feels she must do. She is 33 years old, married for four years with two girl children. She is Muslim, the first in her family not to ware the veil and the first woman to complete a masters (extension education, she tells me this is similar to social work). After her second child she had her tubes tied. The nurse was concerned that if Shabnam had another girl, she would be without a son. She told the nurse that was silly and to do it any way.

The village – the village is home to 20,000 people. It has a school, clinic and some businesses. It is 45 minutes outside of Jaipur. While we invite Shabnam to talk to the group about being a woman in India, she deflects the request saying it is better we hear about if from the women in the village. We arrive at the village and file into the community room. As we enter there are ladies at the door who tie a string of red and yellow around our wrists, a sign of love and respect. They also mark our foreheads with the traditional red mark and rice. No one knows why they use rice. We proceed to the center of the room where there is a large circle of low tables and cushions. Everyone sits and Shabnam translates.

These are the first women leaders in their villages. They are elected to five year term. Our visit provides an example of how international NGOs, local activists and public policy are working together to change lives. India’s 73rd Constitutional Amendment requires that one-third of locally elected positions be reserved for women. Sadly, many of the women first elected to these positions were treated as nothing more than proxies for their husbands and fathers. In partnership with local NGOs and activists, THP provided leadership training, cell phones and bicycles. When we sat down together, the women, the first in their communities to be elected as village headmen, shared with us how with their new found authority they were working to ensure childhood vaccinations, universal primary education and basic water resources among other things – the very things international aid organizations spend enormous resources to accomplish. They were animated and excited. They asked us how they were doing in comparison to American women. This was one of the best visits of the trip!

Upon arrival back at Sharpura hotel we make plans for the night. We need to pick up Kimberly’s clothes from last night and it is past time for dinner. We don’t want to eat at the hotel again so we decide to try a place Shabnam suggested, Handi. Samuel joins us for the night. Handi is very good. Both Kimberly and I are pleased. Samuel is grateful to be out of the hotel. We pick up the clothes and a couple of other things. The driver loves us and we tip him too much. All I want is a hot bath and an afternoon alone to recharge my batteries. We go to bed at 11:00 p.m. and have a 6:00 a.m. wake up call.