The write up continues to build on my engagement in the recently taken up assignment in microfinance set-up. UMA (ex-Aadhar) for whom I work, is an all-woman led organisation. Therefore, when we began this assignment all stakeholders including me were worried about the results. I had my usual hesitation about being in an awkward situation wherein everyone around me belongs to the fairer sex, but for one guy here who works in collections.
So here is a tete-a-tete with the firm's promoter "would you be comfortable working in 14 woman set-up?", obviously any guy would first venture into another dimension thinking of women in abundant supply, yet after that momentary thought I said to myself "ye kaam kaise karte hai" (how can they work?). Obviosly I didnt want to show that I resent that fact, so expectedly I said "never mind". I thought, after our interaction they may never call me up again as I had raised issues about the scale of operations and the business plan. The male ego dominated my thinking telling me its impossible to pull off the plans being discussed. 3 months of working 18-20 hours a week for them, I am completely in awe of this organisation and the tremendous enthusiasm every woman member here possesses. We are far ahead of where we were since that first meeting. Though, work is not even done 1%, we wish to grow our portfolio by 100 times from where we presently are. However I have little doubts we can do that!!
There have been awkward moments in this journey. To start with, here everyone is a woman ranging between age of 20 to 60 (including the domestic help). Therefore, there is no point for the toilet seat to be in vertical position ever, making it a little incovenient for me to everytime push that seat up. Beyond the arrangement of this toilet seat the difference in perspectives has augured well for me personally and professionally. While I supplied the adrenaline that I thought was missing in the operations here, in return I only ended up being influenced. Men (including me) in India grow up to the thought, everything that's good that's effective starts from us, but that myth was completely falsified in Ludhiana, where UMA operates. Not only is that merit visible amongst the leadership team here, but youngest of the employee works towards a positive impact. Happy to help, happy to learn, it is the spirit here. Its heartening to see our borrowers, amongst hundreds of women we interact with, possess the passion to dispel the myth that men are superior. UMA over years has helped many women come up the poverty curve and debt burden, and it is a very pleasing site to interview and interact with such women. Their confident personality excites not just me but every other member around them, who foresee their lives becoming free of stress.
A woman in today's meeting narrated her experience to 122 women attendees, and about 10 of us from the organisation. With a lot of conviction she spoke about, how over years she raised about $700 from us which has made her family debt free and in fact her husband owns an autorickshaw. The pride in owning the means to livelihood was exuding from every bit of her. It was not surprising that after the meeting we had almost 100 women interacting personally with out staff.
Being one guy in 140 gathering calls for maintaining a decorum, composure and focus.
Being one guy in 140 gathering calls for immense joy and pleases you and makes you believe in youself and your existence.
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