“I was expected to be quiet, and told not to ask questions, but I questioned everything I saw that was wrong around me” - Ten question for Varsha Jawalgekar on how to #BeBoldForChange

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Throughout March and inspired by International Women's Day, we have been celebrating how the women on our projects encourage us to #BeBoldForChange. We are privileged to be partnering with a number of truly inspirational women, who use boldness and strength to bring about change for the women and girls in their communities.

Varsha Jawalgekar is the leader of Parivartan Kendra (PK) who we partner with in Bihar State, India. Children on the Edge support them in their work to end discrimination against the Dalit people in Patna, through education and community action. We asked her 10 questions about how to #BeBoldForChange.

1. Can you describe why you first wanted to do this work? 

I started social work at very young age, in fact I was so young that I didn’t really know that what I was doing was social work! I feel it was so much inbuilt in me, that it was almost predestined. All the right things happened to keep me on that path.

When I was young I was in turmoil and couldn’t understand why. I was speaking for justice, I believed in equality, fought for the poor, for Dalits and women. I was reading, writing, thinking and living what I believed in. My family didn’t approve of any of this as I was girl! I was expected to be quiet, and told not to ask questions, but I questioned everything I saw that was wrong around me. At the age of 13 - 14 I was already questioning caste, gender, class and inequality. I was thinking about what my identity and life goals were, whilst other children my age were busy thinking about their looks, clothes and make-up!

2. Have there been things that have happened in your life that have inspired you to do the work you do now?

Firstly, when I was a child I witnessed a lot of violence against my mother. Each time she faced it, I tried to save her, so as a matter of course I was also beaten up. This made me grow up too fast. I didn’t live as a child but had to act as an adult, because people around my mother and I were so violent. I strongly felt the injustice of this. I ended up talking to people to bring change and slowly I achieved it!

Secondly, we faced an earthquake. This earthquake shook my life completely. I saw a lot of poor people die because their houses were made up of stones and mud. During the earthquake, they were buried under the stones. Before this I was asking myself why people are poor, then I got my answers in the earthquake; it is because they are exploited. 

Lastly, when I was young my father was transferred to a different area for work and I had to start at a new school which was run by the RSS. They used to conduct camps to saffronise (1) the minds of children and I was disturbed to core by their biases against Muslims. At one time I asked the lady in charge why there was so much hatred for Muslims. She was shocked and couldn’t give me any answers. I was instantly grabbed, lifted into the air and thrown down on the stones. I was hurt and cried out with the pain. People soon heard me and gathered round. When they realised what kind of things were going on they pressured the school to stop the camps. 

These things have carved a principle in my life that each person, no matter what religion or belief they have, is a human being and should be treated with respect. Also that if you stand up for what is right, things can change.

3. What barriers have you experienced both now and in the past? How have you overcome them? 

I had to struggle for my education. As a woman I had to face barriers to get education, to work as a teacher in college and to leave college and start working as a social worker. All my decisions have prompted rough remarks and behaviour, but I have continued my work with passion despite the criticism. Nowadays I face threats and sometimes even physical attacks from people wanting to stop my work, but I fearlessly continue. When you love your work passionately, each hurdle does not matter to you.

4. Are there any situations in your work that are made particularly difficult or in some cases easier because you are a woman?

​Being a woman is difficult in a patriarchal society, especially when you are challenging that patriarchy. I have faced all kinds of attacks; character assassination, physical assault, life threats and attacks on members of my organisation. I am often told that I am a woman and I should remain a ‘woman’. This means I should remain secondary, don't ask questions, don’t empower people to leave slavery and become independent. But I tell them that because I am a woman, I have more power to do things and if they threaten me or attack me, my work will be more powerful. 

(1) To ‘saffronise’ is a term that describes the promotion of Hindu culture through education to produce social change using a focus on the religious history of India. This aspect of history mainly consists of religions like Hinduism , Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

5. What are some of the hardest moments you have experienced in what you do?

The hardest moments are not all these attacks but when you are let down by friends, family or your own people. That really hurts. but then I can understand that they have their limits.

6. What are some of the most inspiring moments you have experienced with what you do?

That are many! One of my most inspiring moments was during a time that was staying with a family  in a tribal village. There was one small room made up with mud and paddy grass. In one corner was their cooking place and in the other was their bed. They cooked rice with chillies for me.

One night I was tired after a meeting and a long walk over the mountain to reach the village. They had prepared my bed with paddy grass and a clean but torn bed sheet. I woke up around midnight and saw they were up sitting around the fire. I noticed that whatever they had to keep warm they had given me, but they were still happy sitting by fire to protect themselves from the cold. This really inspired me about living life to help people.

7. What change would you like to bring through your work and for the people you work with?

I want to see these changes through education and collective peaceful action:
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1. Equality and justice for everybody. 
2. A caste free,  gender free society.
3. Every person having food, clothes, housing, education, health, life with dignity, love, acceptance and acknowledgement. 
4. Every child realising their rights to choose any belief, religion, profession and life partner.
5. Ensuring the rights of women and children living in communities on the edge.

8. Can you describe any ways that the women and girls you work with have changed, or overcome obstacles in the time you have been working with them?

One of the girls is 8 year old Amita. Her non-Dalit landlord and his men came to her house demanding she work in his fields as her mother (who usually worked there) was unwell. She was just on her way to school so she declined and was met with abusive caste names and taunts about Dalits going to school. They mockingly asked if she was intending to be a magistrate or the chief of police. Boldly she replied ‘Yes, why can’t I? I could surely be one!’. In response the men attacked her with an axe causing permanent injuries. Her family is still is fighting her case in the court to bring justice and one of our education centres is now being run at their home. They are without fear!

There are hundreds of women and girls who have come into contact with Parivartan Kendra (PK) and it has changed their lives. Half of our team are women and 98% are from Dalit communities. They were all mentored to become volunteers and slowly given the opportunity to work as staff.

9. Are there situations where you have had to be brave or bold to bring about change? How do you overcome your fears?

There are challenges, threats and attacks at almost every step, but commitment, love and passion for my work has made me fearless.

10. What would you say to encourage women who would like to make a difference in the world?

Be bold, be brave, take steps with confidence and the world will be with you. 

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