« I used to think that in a couple, only the man made the decisions! Today, I know that everyone’s voice counts and that social change starts at the personal level! »
Before this program arrived, our village lived according to rigid rules.
- Young people under the age of 45 were not allowed to speak at important meetings.
- Women were excluded from all decision-making.
- And everything related to domestic tasks—cooking, fetching water, cleaning—was considered “women’s work.”
We had accepted these norms without question, simply because “that’s how it had always been.”
But the arrival of the committee of committed men, with the participation of all notable social groups, religious leaders, traditional leaders, caste leaders, and elders, was a gentle but powerful revolution. A space for dialogue opened up, where people began to listen, reflect, and question.