By-Pallavi Chinya :‘Where there is a will there is a way’. These inspiring words hold true in more sense than one in the case of Smt Adila Anser. Because many years ago when as the eldest of 9 children the entire responsibility of her family fell on her slender and fragile shoulders, there was determination and a strong will. And true to the old saying she found and also created many opportunities for herself as well as for those dependent on her. This woman of grit from Bhadravathi, an industrial town in Shimoga district who studied up to 10th standard, is today the Director of an NGO JEEVA (Jawahar Education, Empowerment, Vision in Action) which has an annual turnover of Rs.14-17 lakhs. The NGO over the years has successfully supported the formation and running of Self Help Groups in various parts of the district.
Adila started her career as an Anganwadi worker in 1983 soon after completing SSLC at the age of 15 years. The first seeds about the functioning and utility of a SHG were sown when she became part of a women’s group. In 1993 this informal group had a formal beginning under the name Jawahar Mahila Mandali. From then onwards there was no turning back for Adila who actively involved herself with community work and mobilizing and helping for the formation of SHGs. Till date with the help of her Mahila Mandali, which later on became a full fledged NGO, 286 groups have been formed in various parts of Shimoga and Bhadravathi. Out of this 42 groups are men’s’ and 15 are SHGs of the disabled persons. Of the total SHGs comprising women, 78 are from the minority groups. Nearly 4800 have become members of these various groups.
These SHGs are involved in various activities, which include Pickle and Sambar Powder making, Embroidery and hand work, Soap and phenyl making, Solid waste management/vermicomposting etc. JEEVA also conducts job-oriented courses to create self-employment opportunities for the persons belonging to Backward classes, SCs and STs, widows, children and helpless persons. The NGO has the credit of running Electronic repair – TV, Mixer training for women. And two of the women who undertook training have set up shops in Shimoga
The financial success of her NGO is not the only feather in her cap. The rapport she had built among the minority dominated DharmaGhatta region proved valuable when the Shimoga Zilla Panchayat faced stiff resistance for building of individual toilets for the households under the Total Sanitation Campaign. Adila successfully mediated and convinced the community about the health benefits of improved household sanitation and now the villagers say that toilets have more importantly improved their dignity and status, increased security and safety for the women and children.
This is the success story of a woman from the minority community who has made it her life mission to help others who might be in a similar situation as she was many years ago. And she says that this is what prompts her to keep working.