06.02.07 � 06.09.07

The Past Week: 06.02.07 � 06.09.07

Current project

• Tested two of the women’s (Bhani Ji and Meera Ji’s) blood for their hemoglobin levels who weren’t around when I had done so previously.

They both qualified as having anemia so I gave them a supply of iron pills and instructed

them on proper usage.

• I held an SHG meeting in which the focus was the future location of the vermicompost shed

I knew this topic was going to cause a stir given the growing tensions between Vimla Ji and Jamna Ji re: land and rent issues but I didn’t anticipate what has transpired over the past week. Basically at the meeting, before requesting the women to make a decision about the location of the shed for the future, I told them that moving the shed would involve a lot of time and effort, a loss of worms and money, and would slow down the process of future vermicomposting efforts (the first vermicompost period is usually the longest given that there are initially less worms).

Given these facts, I am partial to leaving the shed where it is and paying Vimla Ji the monthly rent she is requesting. Over the past month and a half or so, I’ve realized that in an effort to sustain this project, it makes sense to pay Vimla Ji. However, Jamna Ji has voiced strong opposition to this because when the project began, I was in search for land for which we wouldn’t have to pay rent. So as a matter of principal, she doesn’t want to be involved in the venture if Vimla Ji is paid rent because it goes against what we first decided on.

At the meeting and thereafter, the discussions between Vimla Ji and Jamna Ji have turned into pretty ugly arguments. Vimla Ji finally told me she can’t take the arguing anymore and no longer wants Jamna Ji to come to her plot to maintain the beds. Vimla Ji’s point of view is understandable given Jamna Ji’s behavior (Jamna Ji has refused group membership if rent is involved and has gone to great lengths to convey her anger, including blaming Vimla Ji for ruining everyone’s beds, calling her names, etc. Vimla Ji and some of the other women on her side have said that they’ll maintain the three women’s beds (Jamna Ji who is now prohibited for stepping foot on the plot and the two women that have sided with her who refuse to maintain their own beds) and the group has decided that they’ll see about the direction of the group when the first batch of compost is sold later this month.

• I bought a weighing scale for the SHG.

I knew the women have little time and freedom to go to Jhunjhunu to buy a weighing scale so I went myself. While the price was higher than the women expected (Rs. 2600), basically we were unable to sell requested amounts of compost because the group didn’t have a scale and no one was allowing us to borrow theirs.

• I worked on marketing for the SHG.

I’ve been working on a flyer for the women to post up around Ashok Nagar and to include in the bags in which the vermicompost is put. I also visited the Piramal Hotel and Jamuna Resort in Jhunjhunu to see if they would be interested in using compost in their gardens. Contacts at both the hotels have told me that I should contact them next week.

• I went to Ashok Nagar less often to decrease the women’s dependency on me

I had been going to the vermicompost plot in Ashok Nagar almost everyday to help the women with maintenance and to remove the prepared compost from the beds. Not only does it seem unsustainable to help the women as much as I do, I also am not allowing myself enough time to do other things.

While I want to continue doing this, the women have also shirked some of their responsibilities in terms of packaging the compost for the upcoming sale to Rewari that we have lined up. I think they feel that because they don’t see me, this slacking is acceptable because there is no one keeping them in line.

Future project:

• I thought more about how I want to engage in a larger scale livelihoods project.

Basically our mandate now is to bring opportunities to the Bagar community in each of our sectors on a larger scale. For me, that means bringing jobs to more people. So I proposed the creation of a rural business school that would offer vocational and entrepreneurial skill training as well as job placement and start-up business assistance. After sharing my idea with the others, I realized I needed more focus. For the following days, before I submitted my next proposal I could either refine this business school concept or explore other ideas in tourism, women and entrepreneurship, a stand-alone career center, a business competition of sorts, etc.

Goals for the following week:

SHG project:

• Mitigate tensions
• Continue preparing for vermicompost sales
• Market the compost
• Follow up with those who I marketed to last week
• Keep the women motivated; ensure that they are properly caring for their beds
• Continue searching for someone to take over this project

Future project:

• Connect with people who have started up rural business/vocational schools and make plans to meet with them and see their work
• Gauge local interest and get suggestions from community on it