It is all about respect and mobility transport services, says the Asha workers. They walk 5kms tirelessly to fetch water for the thirsty, deliver buckets house to house, and lend major help and support in helping women give birth. Deliveries happen at home, they say; there are no hospitals, dubious sanitation, and pressure to deliver at home because of finances. They are more than simply midwives: they advise the new mothers to wash their clothes with soap and water, dry them in the sun, and give valuable advice that banishes some of the strong, prevalent myths that still abound, like the myth that new mothers shouldn’t breastfeed their babies till three days- which is harmful for the baby, because the feeding should be done within 30 minutes, and not three days. Important, time-sensitive information, without which there would be a lot of health concerns and diseases, are taken care of by the Asha sisters.
Their social and financial status, is less than satisfactory. There are organisational changes that could benefit the voluntary group; salary increase and beneficiary to them, according to the efforts made; media involved should play a positive role which grants them the respect that has not been awarded to them until now- so that their work becomes smoother and without fewer hurdles towards completion. If all these conditions are fulfilled, then their work could also reach the status of being their main work bringing in the most financial returns.
Their work is collaborative; the Sarpanch and Zilla Parishads, put in a joint effort to alleviate the concerns of the people. Main elections have been successful because of the network and the legwork of the Asha sisters, and for the work they do which is invaluable, yet which no one else dares to do- they deserve District, and State level recognition.
But the issue runs deeper than that. Since this is a voluntary organisation, they cannot receive a fixed salary; if it comes under the aegis of the government body, then it will become a departmental section, which might alter its foundations. Their income can only be increased by incentives, and a minimum incentive, though set, has not been replenished since the Coronavirus hit. Under regular circumstances, this minimum incentive plus a top-up reflective of the services rendered, the equivalent of the time spent while working, and incentive rates adjusted for inflation- would be more than deserved for their hard work.
The organisation is at the grassroots level. And 80% of the grassroots consist of unmanicured land, which is difficult to work at, and lots of things to be done. There is a school for the children, but only the boys go there since it is very far from their immediate vicinities, and girls are occupied doing housework. In this situation, t becomes increasingly tougher to introduce them to education, and much more important that that education happens nearer to them to be availed. The girls had to be painstakingly convinced, and dragged to school from their household chores to study, for they did not appreciate the value of education, they remain so cut off from it.
There are too many difficulties to battle, too many hurdles to overcome, the sisters say. They need to be joined with education, especially health education and especially the old midwives with no education and little training, because good health is not possible without it. Education workers need to work together with the Asha sisters, be a part of their community to bring essential services to the society.
