Taking care of women and children, were however, fire-fighting measures.
We had to do something to prevent women and children from being
driven out of their homes. We had to make the rural woman conscious
of her right to live with dignity. We had to convince people that
it was only by empowering women that there could be peace and prosperity
within the family. We had to educate them against gender bias, superstitions,
alcoholism, bondage to landlords and moneylenders, so many evils
that were rampant in the rural countryside due to illiteracy and
ignorance.
We had to try and create a situation where Maher and other institutions
like Maher would no longer be required. We had to put social responsibility
back into the rural society.
What was needed was to change the mindset of the people who put
women and children in these situations. This was done through
various awareness programmes that helped villagers understand
their rights, duties, responsibilities and place in society and
to unite and stand up to unscrupulous landlords and moneylenders.
Apart
from this Maher also created support systems for rural women and
children by opening kindergartens (Balwadis), crèches,
tuition classes, job placement services, adult literacy classes
and Self Help groups.
