For Ms. Kanwal Devi doing something good for her Bheel community was the strong passion since her teenage. She knew that her community members, especially female and children, were being discriminated at all levels. Whether it be literacy or enjoyment of fundamental rights her community faced discrimination. That was turning point for her to think over this and do something practically to avoid these feelings of her community members.
She realized that provision of education could be a way out to empower women and children so they may get space in the society. She took it as a mission to bring the change through educating women and children. She started advocating for the cause after knowing importance of being empowered. She arranged meetings with community women and continued this activism until she was married off with Dr Raj Kumar. The turn of life brought her new challenges to face. She had to leave her matriculation examination and training of technician unfinished.
Her passion, hard work, consistency and courage won her respect and recognition in the family of Dr Raj Kumar. Thanks to the support of her husband, she started working in other organizations as volunteer both in her village Achal Das and other villages of union council Kheerao to get micro credit to the needy.
It was not end as she was rewarded further and selected member of the village development committee (VDC). It was her passion to earn more encouragements, which had made her strong women activist in the area. In fact, power came to her with more responsibilities to deliver. At the insistence, enormous encouragement and positive response of the people of her village she decided to establish Local Support Organization Kheerao in 2010. The organization was established in a democratic way where every member of it had a role. The establishment of the organization proved to be learning centre for members of marginalized communities, especially women who were provided trainings to enhance their skills to live better life.
Presently, Kanwal is elected chairperson of LSO Kheerao through election for the position. She has contributed significantly not only her family life as a mother of two daughters and a son but also in mobilizing youth both male and female members of marginalized communities. With her support people of the area have got number of development schemes. She approached donor organizations to work together for the betterment of people. She has received encouraging response from organizations. When she learned through newspapers that SRPO wanted to work with CBOs in district Mirpurkhas for promoting and protecting minority rights she intensified her efforts by showing interest to work with SRPO. She personally submitted all required documents to SRPO. Her organization was selected on merit through meeting the criteria. She was extremely happy to hear that her organization was selected as partner of SRPO to implement the project in union council Kheerao.
She is happy to see this project of advocacy as a great opportunity to sensitize people regarding issues facing minority community especially the issue of forced marriage and forced conversion.
Ms. Kanwal Devi with her efforts has produced number of committed volunteers especially women who are working passionately in this project in union council Kheerao. She thanks SRPO for providing her organization the opportunity to work in an organized way for doing the meaningful change in the life of minority community members.
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