Hamsavalli

Occupation: Housemaid in Chennai Birthplace: Singampunari, Tamil Nadu

My name is Hamsavalli. I’m from Singampunari.

I was born last of my siblings and by that time, food was scarce. There was no rice. Only wheat and little else. My mother worked in a house and was able to get us only some food. That is how I grew a little and was able to walk only when I was 6!

When I was 10, our father died. We had to help around the house so we couldn’t study. I worked with making ropes. You know the fibres from a coconut? From that we made ropes that are used everywhere.

At 18, I married my sister’s husband. My mother did not have the ability to give gold for my marriage. When I had to get married, he said that she didn’t have enough for my dowry so he would marry me instead. Finally, my sister also agreed because it would be a help for us only. From that marriage I have one child: a daughter. My son is actually my sister’s child.

My husband was 20 years older than me. When my child was 6 months, he went to Dubai. An electrical failure happened in his room when he was on night duty. The room burnt down. Nothing was left of the money he earned. In those times, there was only one way to talk: through a phone shop. We would be told when the call would come and would have to go there to wait. For a year, I didn’t hear anything of him. His passport was burnt up in the fire. Finally, he got hold of someone, asked for money and made his way back home.

He had issues. People would talk about him having two wives and he would show his anger towards me; he would drink and get into fights. My children couldn’t study because they were worried about their father. I knew I could never study but at least my children could and I was able to pay for it somehow. My husband didn’t do anything to help; he left me with debt.

Only now have I pierced my nose and wear earrings. Do you know the actress Radhika? I looked like her when I was younger. Coming to Chennai, my hair has turned white and I’m turning 50 now. After working at various jobs across the city, I am at this level – which is to say that I am working as a maid in a confirmed job. That is how I have been able to educate my children!

Manimegalai

Occupation: fieldworker at AID INDIA Birthplace: Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu

My name is Manimegalai. I live in Kovilpatti, Tamil Nadu. In 2007, I got to work at AID India. To have been selected is my biggest success and happiness in life.

I was 16 when I got married to my mother’s younger brother. He was 32. Theirs was a big family but a poor family. They kept cows and goats for their livelihood. I was without child for two years and then knowing how everyone in the village would talk, my mother-in-law suggested we have children soon. When my time of the month came, it usually lasted five days. I was worried about how I’d have to behave; to eat outside and help with the family or stay in a corner.

Being a small young child myself and having a baby was tough. I had to look after the baby, do housework and cook. When I was in the sixth grade, I loved teaching the younger classes. I always imagined myself standing with a stick, pointing to the board, talking like a teacher. Today I wonder if someone had given me enough motivation, might I have studied better? I want others to get the chance I never got.

I have [now] learnt how to stitch. I earned 800 rupees as my first salary from teaching old people about injections they had to take and looking after the library. By saving all the money I earned, I was able to turn my life around.

Some parents want their daughters to be like me – that makes me happy. There are changes, but still problems within the community. SC people have to pray in temples separately. Till today. We go and prostrate to God anyway. You’ll tend to feel bad when people give things to each other except you. Children will want to go to others’ houses and eat food but no one gets invited directly. We are nervous to do anything.

I want to tell girl children that if we keep going on the route prescribed by society, we will not be able to find a new path. People might say that they have a path that is already figured out, that has no thorns, is easy to travel. But if we take this, we might never learn how to fend for ourselves and learn new things. Keep learning something, questioning everything and searching.

Chithra

Occupation: fieldworker at AID INDIA Birthplace: Thiruthani, Tamil Nadu

My name is Chithra. I live in Thiruthani and work with AID INDIA as a fieldworker where we help children and families who are struggling. Even if I have a thousand difficulties, going out and helping feels good.

Sometimes we [fieldworkers] have bodyaches, but we overcome it and go to work. For tribal people, there is no bus to transport them and they have to walk long distances. It is quite risky because if we miss the bus, it’s hard to return and the area is jungle-like. During our periods, it gets difficult, especially if you live in areas you have to walk to.

I moved to Thiruthani when I got married. I was 17 then. My father-in-law was old with failing health so we finished the marriage early. I married my mother’s older brother’s son. Everything is good and loving. Even my father who once wanted to throw me in the garbage bin when I was born, says that I can earn for myself!

Lots of people here prefer boys over girls. Sometimes if a girl is born, families name her “Vendam” (means no need) because they don’t want her. There’s this one family of five girls who named the last one Vendam because she wasn’t wanted. Another name they give is “Podhum” (means enough) when they don’t want another daughter. If you look at school attendance sheets you will see a Vendam or a Podhum in the list. We don’t even know what else to call them because that is their given name. Even after marriage, they are called by the same names.

In the village, dowry either takes the form of land or gold and depends on the groom and what they ask for him. Castes like Naidus and Mudaliars give a lot of gold sovereigns but lower castes cannot afford this.

Lots of fights occur between castes. There are many issues, especially with Scheduled Castes – if they enter a street that they shouldn’t, there will be fights. If women are involved, they also get hurt quite badly. During fieldwork, it’s scary walking past these areas because there is often blood.

Overall, I wanted to have a good life, a good job and for people to respect me. I wanted to work with children. To an extent, I can say that my dreams have indeed come true.”