Dalith woman’s efforts to educate Muslim women in Mumbai

Mumbai:  Sujatha, a dalit woman in Mumbai started imparting training to Muslim women in a one room school. Earlier, a school by name Bazm-e-Furquan was running in that room. Sujatha surveyed the area for two months. She persuaded Muslim women to come to the center for training. Out of 5000 women only 22 came forwards for training. Local residents, Shameeem Bhai, Bhola Bhai and Shahid Bhai came to her help. Later, Mr. Sudhender Kulkarni came to the center and encouraged her. A cultural program of children was organized to persuade people.

After training, she negotiated with a company for placement. The management of the company bluntly refused saying that they don’t provide job to Muslim women. When she asked the reason, she got the reply that the management have prohibited to employee Muslim women. When she told them to give it in writing, they said that they can’t do that. She continued her efforts, at last they agreed to employee 11 women. She took them to Kandi Velle. This was the first time that these women had come out of their houses for work. When they came back they were tired. They refused to go on the second day.

She talked to the management of Somia Hospital. They had recently stared the Dept. of Oncology. They gave job to 5 women. When they got the first salary, their joy had no bounds. Ameena Bibi has a daughter. She accumulate money and celebrated her daughter’s marriage. When she gave birth to a girl, she was sent out of the house by her husband. The girl lost her father. Her second marriage was not possible. Her mother used to cry seeing her. The girl showed interest in learning the work. When she got Rs. 8300 as her first salary, her mother started weeping with joy. Sujatha says that she did not do anything for her but when she dies, there will be many persons to weep for her.

Source: The Siasat daily