A Taste of Countryside

On our third day in India, we had a change from the scenery and hustle and bustle of the city of Delhi and took a trip to the countryside. In the countryside, we were meeting with a nonprofit ngo named Model Rural Youth Development Organization (MRYDO). On our way to the organization, we learned a lot about life in the countryside and just how different life can be outside of the cities.

Here are some of the details that we learned about the countryside:

•        70% of Indian population lives in the countryside
•        Income in villages is not measured per person but rather it is measured per family and farm income is not taxable
•        The government pays subsidies to cover most of the costs for farmers like the cost of a tractor, even electricity is free
•        There are 5 elderly people who are selected or elected to make decisions and deal with disputes and issue in the villages
•        What isn’t decided from the village elders is then brought to district court from there it goes to state court and then to the supreme court
•        For village education, there is definitely primary school, but high school is usually further away and not confined to one village. Education is free until university for girls but only until high school for boys. This is done to encourage women to get more education so that they are able to manage the family more efficiently and hopefully marry later (which is their attempt to control the population)
•        Most transactions between people for goods and services are not with cash or credit card but with goods. Today, most people still don’t have credit cards not just in the countryside but the whole country and the use of cash dominates
•     But in the past 2 years, 150 million bank accounts have been opened

      Upon our arrival in the countryside, we sat down with some of the key leaders in MRYDO for an   incredible and inspiring meeting. While being served with the ever great Indian hospitality of tea, coffee, and cookies, we listened as they explained the workings and missions of their amazing organization. They have a vision of a society based on social justice, equality, self-reliance, and non-discrimination where all people live with dignity. They work with marginalized urban and rural communities for their socio-economic, cultural, economic development, and political empowerment. They work with state and other similar organizations to implement programs to develop socio-economic development and research ways to promote the rights of people living in these communities. Such rights include water and sanitation, food and work, and life and education. So the people of MRYDO take the potentials of the youth, women, children, & other marginalized communities and help them create development to work towards communities free from hunger, disease, and injustice.

One of the most inspiring part of the meeting with MRYDO was meeting with women from some of their self-help groups. The self-help groups are groups that MRYDO helps to create a foundation for their entrepreneurships, assist with loans, and offer advice and guidance. These women, although shy at first to tell their stories, soon opened up and delivered moving stories of what businesses they were in, how they had gotten there, and how their experience in the self-help groups had completely changed their lives. Most of these women, prior to the self-help group, had never been able to count money, socialize with other people outside of their homes, make a living for themselves without relying on husbands. One women who appeared confident and strong, told us that when she was first starting the group and her business, she had never shown her face before as she had come from a very conservative family and she was so intimidated by the bank and the men there. But once she was able to push through it, she found that the experience had inspired and empowered her, and now she runs the business confidently and has helped others feel empowered too and make a change in their lives.

We learned so much from meeting with that organization and everyone left feeling touched and inspired by the members of the nonprofit and the women we met. Here is a picture of the women speaking with us:

Once we left the countryside, we took a trip to our first Indian open market. The market was filled with vendors selling goods from scarves, slippers, wood and marble carved animals, clothes, jewelry, and so much more. There was food and music and it was a lively and exciting place to see. Truly gave us a chance to immerse ourselves in Indian culture and see for ourselves the craftsmanship and talents of the people.

It was a great Saturday here in India. Hope you are enjoying our trip as much as we are!

Caileigh Lampersberger