Blog

"Bhaiya (brother) would go to a nearby government school but no one supported me to get admission in school because I was a girl. One day, I just went to the school and sat in the class. The teacher asked my name and I told her “It’s Priya”.

Although we were studying in a government school, I always wanted to wear a uniform and go to a private school. In fact, I bought myself a uniform and I would wear it to school every day. It resembled discipline for me. Back then, I did not know what patriarchy is but I was just uncomfortable from the difference in behaviour between me and my brother. My mother would say “Beta aur Beti barabar hai” (son and daughter are equal) but if it is true, then why not in everything?

During my graduation, I joined an organisation that promoted sports for girls, Gaurav Gramin Mahila Vikas Manch. I played football there and I was awarded a medal. They taught me about gender equality along with sports. Soon, someone got me in touch with FAT’s Tech Center and during the first workshop, I learnt still photography. I learnt about gender equality and about operating a camera during the same session. I also learned videography.

During the first training of leadership at FAT, I realised that it was because of patriarchy that directed a lot of events and actions in my life for so many years. Then I started negotiating for my choices and rights at home. The training at FAT helped me negotiate for my rights at home. These issues struck a chord in my heart and I was so interested in these concepts that during my training, I would not even blink my eyes in fear that I would miss any important topic!

When the training was completed, I learnt how we can bring our viewpoint to the larger audience in the community and ask questions from them through films. We found some of the girls in our villages who would face same issues like us i.e., domestic violence, early and forced marriages, sexual abuse, gender inequality, etc. Every girl we interviewed was too afraid to bring these issues in front of their parents. They said that we could screen the film but not in our community.”

After we produced the film on early and forced marriage, we screened the film in our community. Many people started respecting us after the screenings. We would facilitate the discussions after the screenings about early and forced marriages.

When COVID started, I dealt with many rumours. I was sick and so was my brother. The villagers behaved as if they would kill us. At FAT, we came together online through applications like Slack and Signal to take support from our friends. I not only fought all of the rumours but also delivered dry rations to families in my community for members who needed it.

My motivation for joining collectivisation of Young Women Leaders at Level 3 in FAT is to be able to share my learnings with other young girls. I felt happy when I saw that as a facilitator, I can work with other girls in my community. At times, girls don’t know their own rights. I want to make a Tech Center like FAT in my community.

I want to tell other parents that they should trust their daughters. If she wants to study, please allow her. Please support her and be friends with her. With the family’s support, a girl can achieve anything in life. Now that I am a mother myself of a beautiful daughter, I will be friends with her and I will teach her about her rights."

Narrated by Priya Kumari, Young Women Leader from Level 3 (Collectivisation) at FAT. To support Priya with her online trainings to become a "Leader" for her community, donate to us at www.fat-net.org/donate

Written by Almas Naseem

Edited by Priyanka Sarkar