I was elected Ward Member for Jagvan Paschimi Panchayat in Madhubani
District, along with five others.Despite problems of poverty and the responsibility of a large family, I took
a keen interest in social work right from the start. In the very first sitting
of the Panchayat, the President made it clear to all the members that they
should refrain from obstructing his work, or else face dire consequences. He
announced - “You should just concern yourself with signing the register!”
One day a male Ward Member arrived at my house with a blank register and
demanded my signature. When I refused to sign, a truly enraged President
sent for my husband, and told him that it would not do us good to go against
his word.In the meantime, I started to seek support from other Ward Members. I called
a meeting of all the Ward Members to discuss the possible course of action.
At the first opportunity, I also attended the WLW conducted by The Hunger
Project-Bihar Sewa Samiti. The knowledge and the confidence that I gained
from the workshop gave me the necessary strength to strategize.The President hired local ‘goondas’ (goons) from the village to threaten
and coerce the Ward Members to stay on his side. At the same time, I was
campaigning hard against his malicious strategies. The President made many
unsuccessful attempts to cajole, bribe and threaten me and finally accepted
defeat when he realized that with my determination and leadership qualities
I had garnered the support of the entire community. He is now respectful
to the gram Sabha members and cooperates in bringing about changes for
the betterment of the community. This incident boosted my confidence. I
won tremendous applause from the community for this act of courage and
perseverance. Slowly as I learnt the Panchayat processes, I have started taking
active participation in the gram Sabha and hope that I am able to work
diligently for my Panchayat.Rekha Devi
Ward Member
Panchayat: Jagvan Paschimi
Block: Bisfi
District: Madhubani