Charity

India

A BIG THANK YOU for your generosity!

Women Walking With God raised £6.5k at their 2007 conference. This money is being used to fund 85 more self help groups for women in the Hyderabad area of India which will raise the total number of groups to 100. This project should bring transformation to the lives of around 7,500 individuals.

The 3WG team met in Edinburgh with a wonderful Indian woman called Jeeva on a hot sunny Saturday at the end of June to hear about the work that we are supporting in India and gain a better understanding of the plight of many of our sisters in this vast country. Jeeva has been with Operation Mobilisation for twenty years and is at present head of women's ministries in India and is particularly involved with the women's empowerment work in the south of the country. We all felt a tremendously blessed as a result of spending time with her and privileged to be able to help support this crucial work.

These verses in Proverbs 31 v 8 & 9 sum up the vision for the women's work in India:

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless and see that they get justice.

The self help groups that we have enabled to be set up in the Hyderabad area of India give the women an opportunity to find employment and learn new skills which will enable them to take control of their lives. These skills tend to be such things as basket weaving or pottery and if possible the women are able to attend a tailoring course for a few months. Sometimes a loan will then be given to help them start a little business. This in turn means that they can become self sufficient and invest more in the education and welfare of their children. Because of increased independence and raised self esteem confidence grows and this has a very positive effect on family and village life.

Lots of projects are going on in the Hyderabad area of India and OM are particularly helping the women who live in the pipe villages there. Many dalits make their homes in huge concrete pipes and for the women it is not even safe for them to come out to use the toilet as they run the risk of being raped. OM has recently built toilets for these women along with teaching them about health and hygiene.

For more information on the pipe villages have a look at www.pipevillagetrust.org.

Although the plight of Dalit women in India is very great the women's empowerment work is making a difference in many of their lives which has a positive effect on whole villages. Prayer, counselling and visits from foreigners is such an encouragement to these Dalit women. They think of themselves as untouchable and for women from across the world in Scotland to take an interest in them, support them and pray for their needs is quite overwhelming.

As we develop this partnership further with the women of India please pray for their plight and particularly remember Jeeva as she coordinates much of the women's ministry work.

If you would like to find out more about the plight of the Dalits in India then you might find the following books and website of interest: