Women Sanghams act as a support system for sharing problems and finding collective solutions.

Ramalakshmi has lived all her life in Potlamarri, in Dharmavaram, a small town 40 kilometres from Anantapur. In 1994, she joined the local RDT Sangham (women’s self-help group) and has not missed a single monthly meeting since then. She worked as a cook in a school for a brief period, and after a while, teachers noticed her leadership skills and encouraged her to join the local leaders’ training programme.

Talking about the experience in her sangham, she states, “I start each session by talking about my own experience and what it took for me to become self-sufficient. I think it is a good way for women to empathise; it shows them that they too, can achieve it. Everyone is eager to learn,” she adds, “and that has made me realise that having money is not a guarantee of a better life; solidarity and knowledge are equally more important”.

“When RDT started working in our village, I immediately stepped forward; among all the women who were part of the Sangham, I was the only one who could read and write, and I became a leader,” Ramalakshmi says, “Personally, being part of the Sangham has helped me gain knowledge and awareness, solve issues on my own, and express my opinions in any circumstance. Over the years, interacting with women from different sanghams has helped me become who I am today: a brave woman,” she adds. 

Through 8,023 Sanghams across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2022-23 – 89,175, women like Ramalakshmi have had the platform to discuss the issues they face and reach out without fear if they need any help.

Text: Felita Viegas
Images: Aina Valldaura