ir few leisure hours becoming literate. ``We would save oil so that we could write at night after finishing the chores.'' In fact, the handi in the kitchen became a convenient place to practise writing their names. These women have come to Delhi along with 1,400 others from all over the country for a workshop. Today, Sudama Devi is no longer struggling to earn a living. She has set up her own small business and is assisted by her husband who has stopped pulling the rickshaw. It's a similar story for the others, all beneficiaries of a micro credit scheme launched in this area by these women. It took some time for this group to organise enough capital for this scheme. After much persuasion the district collector agreed to give the group a loan of just Rs 2,000. This was soon repayed and they came back with the amount doubled. Now, the group has received a loan of Rs 15,000, which has been distributed equally among 15 members, who in turn revolve it amongst a group of five members each. With this financial empowerment has also come the next step: Social change. The women had the local distillery shut down by their sheer force of numbers. Of course, it was not easy, says Josephine, a younger member of the group. The men came charging at us. ``Who has given you so much sense? they asked. We were also accused of going out and learning all the wrong things.'' However, better sense prevailed with the village panchayat too agreeing with the women. Now, says Sudama Devi, this group has managed to put a check on not just alcoholic husbands, but wife-beating, dowry demands, and early marriage as well. A fight against a proposed firing range in the area is still going on. ``We will not lose hope,'' say the women. Says another, ``Laloowa ke darwaze tak jayenge (we will go uptill Laloo's doorstep).'' As for Laloo Yadav not becoming chief minister, the women are happy. ``He lost from our area,'' says one. ``Development is taking place in our village be...
