I am a matriculate and have been associated with the Arunachal Pradesh
Women Welfare Society (APWWS), one of the most active civil society
organizations in Arunachal Pradesh. I have been associated with them long
before I even thought about standing for elections as a Panchayat leader.I have always been keen to work for the poor and deprived in my village so
when the chance presented itself in the form of reservations in Panchayat for
women leaders, I decided to go for it. I received the full support from my
family and friends and from the people in my village. Since my election, I
put in a lot of hard work to procure government Schemes for my village.
Although the people in the village are satisfied with my work, I, myself, feel
that much still needs to be done. I have ensured that Old Age and Widow
Pensions are provided to the needy and have ensured that people have access
to Schemes and benefits such as the SgSY, etc.Even though I have to face many problems in my work, not to mention official
bottlenecks, I am still committed to working for a better life for the people
with the co-operation of my Panchayat colleagues.I have attended the Women’s Leadership Workshop conducted by The Hunger
Project’s Arunachal Pradesh chapter and have benefited enormously by the
training. I feel that my confidence in my own abilities has grown a lot, as I am
more sure footed in dealing with government Officials.The general opinion in the village about me is positive and many seem to
think that my unmarried state has added to my qualities as a leader. Because
I am unmarried I can constantly be at the beck and call of the needy without
having to worry about unfulfilled household chores or a sick baby. I am free
to go anywhere, anytime I feel like. The majority of the villagers want to
re-elect me as their leader for the next term and I too believe that I can
accomplish a lot for my village, provided they continue to back me. I also
hope that organizations like The Hunger Project continue to guide novice
leaders like me.Kirpi Padu
Chairperson
Panchayat: Darkang
Block: Pubu-Yombu
District: West Siang