Rejected by in-laws, supported by 'Jeevika': Begusarai's Neelu turns adversity into success

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) The Modi government’s slew of schemes for women empowerment, and the firm resolve of womenfolk in general, are scripting a new success story for India, thereby inviting global attention.

The latest instance of this change is Bihar’s Begusarai district, where Jeevika Yojana is changing the lives of women by enabling them to overcome adversities and become self-dependent.

Pachamba, a locality about 5 km away from Begusarai, has become a big centre of empowerment of the 'Jeevika Didi' yojana, with Neelu Kumari emerging as the face of this success.

However, Neelu’s journey was not easy. She was beset with one of the biggest challenges after her marriage, and this is what laid the foundation for her inspirational journey.

Her husband was an alcoholic, and her in-laws kept harassing her, following which she returned to her maternal home. But now, with Jeevika's sewing house, she has not only become self-reliant but has moved up the ladder of success.

Neelu Kumari told IANS that she got married to Chandan Kumar Sharma, a resident of Asha toll village in Bhagalpur district, in 2010, and the groom’s side duped their family by telling lies.

“At the time of marriage, Chandan Sharma's family members told me that the groom works in a tower installation company. But, after marriage, I got to know that he didn’t work and also he was an alcohol addict,” she said.

She was not only beaten and abused by her husband but also tortured by the in-laws for not bearing a son after marriage. Her in-laws also did not send her two daughters to school for studies, and neither did they give them proper food.

Troubled by her in-laws, Neelu chose a different path and joined 'Muskaan Jeevika'.

Today, Neelu is an active member of the Jeevika programme and is doing sewing and embroidery work, thereby shaping the future of her daughters.

Neelu Kumari said that before joining Jeevika, she had to face financial difficulties, but today she is standing on her own feet.

Rather, she is not alone, the lives of hundreds of women like Neelu have completely changed after joining Jeevika.

Notably, Jeevika is a community-based organisation in Bihar, having around 10 lakh women self-help groups, thereby uniting approximately 1.24 crore women for Swachhata Hi Seva in Bihar. With women joining hands to reach out to villages for awareness generation and undertaking mass cleanliness activities, this marks a true reflection of ‘Nari Shakti’.

--IANS

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