Stories of Change: Fighting against all odds

Stories of Change: Fighting against all odds

Gitanjali, president of the adolescent girls’ group of Paji Bahal Village in Odisha dreamt of becoming a nurse one day. After losing her father at the age of 18 years, family's responsibility resided on her shoulders. She started providing private tuitions to the small children in her village to help her mother who was unable to sustain the whole family.

Gitanjali learnt about the work Oxfam India and its partner National Alliance of Women Organisation (NAWO) that works with men, women, boys and girls in their village. She joined the adolescent girls’ group, in her panchayat after completing her graduation from a nearby college. Because of her tireless and persistent efforts towards educating all girls in her village, she was chosen as the president of the Maa Durga Balika Mandal (girls group). She also started talking with the boys and men in her village, regarding issues of domestic violence and alcoholism.

Under her gallant leadership, the girls’ group from her village, are claiming the available public spaces by drawing creatives on violence against women and child, early and forced marriage. They have taken out rallies against alcoholism and pasted posters on the walls of the community.

Gitanjali now works as the Gram Panchayat Coordinator of M. Rampur Panchayat and is our champion.
We celebrate her leadership and salute her for her courageous initiatives for gender equality.

When people like you support Oxfam's work, we are able help women live a dignified life and raise voice against injustice.
Empower more heroes like Gitanjali: 
https://www.oxfamindia.org/donatetoempowerwomen 

Support our campaign bit.ly/banonayisochoxfam

Gender Justice

We campaign to change patriarchal mindsets that influence violence against women  

Read More

Related Blogs

Blogs

Stories that inspire us

Gender Justice

29 Sep, 2020

Odisha

The Status of Implementation of PWDVA: Odisha Consultation

The importance of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA) was never in question, but it has come in focus particularly during the lockdown, on account of CO...

Gender Justice

20 Sep, 2020

Uttar Pradesh

Right To Property: An Imperative For Freedom

The first instances of division between women and men was based the labour division between the two sexes, women were seen as mere machines fit for reproduction and nurture, while m...

Gender Justice

11 Aug, 2020

New Delhi

Legal Reforms to Increase Age of Motherhood — Will It Work?

According to the report by UNICEF[1], one in three of the world’s child brides live in India. Despite the fact that fewer girls are marrying before 15 years, the rates of marriage h...

Gender Justice

05 Aug, 2020

Pune

My Internship Experience at Oxfam India

Shraddha Sivaramakrishnan is a second-year student at Flame university (Pune) and worked as an intern in Oxfam India’s Gender Justice department for around a month. The internship ...