WIDOWS OF VIDARBHA WILL SOON START TO EARN TO SAVE ENVIRONMENT! (2nd June 2010, 2130 Hrs)

Right from the very beginning I have always believed that widows of the farmers, who have committed suicide, are going to be a force to reckon with in near future. The only drawback is that the world has so far treated them as an object of pity, rather than the force of the future. Hence, there has been no progress at all.

I have been visiting villages and interacting with them, trying to understand their needs, aspirations and the will to lead a life of dignity with their heads held high. Even before I came to Vidarbha, I had thought of various plans that would be implemented in a slow and steady manner over a period of time under – support 4 suicide farmers families – project. In another 15 days’ time, we plan to set up a small unit of paper envelops to be used by kirana (general / ration) stores, first in villages and gradually as we grow, it will be taken to the cities’ shops as well.

Initially, I am working on teaching them the art of making these envelops and will provide them with papers (magazines’ sheets) and material for glue. Once we are able to get at least five or more widows, who are willing to be part of the small unit, we will start making these envelops. First, we will start from their respective villages and give free 50 / 100 envelops to the shops for trial. And then these envelops will be sold to shopkeepers for a price, there by generating earnings for these widows. While the these women will be earning, indirectly in their own small ways will be saving environment by reducing the use of plastic bags, which is used so extensively in every part of the nation.

Even though, the government knows the ill-effects of all these plastic bags that is affecting the environment, they are simply not bothered at all about it. I still remember, in my school days I used to make paper envelops in my free time with the magazines’ sheets and sell it to earn my pocket money. Truly so, how handy and environment friendly that experience has been for me to utilise it in Vidarbha today. Pray that very soon, we the family of – support 4 suicide farmers families – are able to supply these envelops to all the Mumbai shops and generate awareness among the urban population about the ill-effects of plastic bags.

The journey has just begun with a bright age-old idea that I learned in my school days.

The small project has multiple benefits:

Widows will be able to work in their free time in their respective homes to earn some money (will depend on the number of envelops they make in a month).

Paper envelops are environment friendly and so will help save the environment in a small and steady manner.

The paper envelops will generate awareness to shun plastic bags, which is bad for environment.

Shopkeepers will play a vital role to bridge the gap between the customers and the family of – support 4 suicide farmers families –