Sunita, a casual worker with a vision for change

From a gender lens, the mining industry holds huge paradoxes between reality and ‎what is acknowledged. Women as a workforce in the mining industry are mainly ‎found outside formal employment, although they form a large segment of mineworkers. ‎Protecting the rights of women workers throughout the entire mining industry supply chain is not adequately addressed through either the law or economic benefits. ‎

Sunita (38), the mother of four children, has a story to share. The story of her as a ‎family maker, casual worker, community leader, and entrepreneur who has a ‎dream of developing a safe and convenient workplace for women engaged in ‎cobblestone-making. Sunita is a resident of Patiyal village in the Budhpura region of Rajasthan’s ‎Bundi district. ‎

‎“My association with the Entrepreneurship Development Programme marked a turning ‎point in my life – and that of others in my group. To begin with, in 2019 we ‎formed a twelve-member Self Help Group (SHG). I was nominated to take on the ‎role of chairperson. At first I was hesitant, and refused to accept the role due to ‎fear and a lack of confidence in my abilities. Despite feeling like I couldn’t manage ‎it, I was convinced to accept the position. The programme aimed to empower ‎both men and women equally to work towards a poverty-free, sustainable, and ‎bright future. ‎

As the leader of the group, I went through a series of trainings. I learned about ‎leadership, group management, hygiene and sanitation, entitlements, and business ‎planning. Gradually I started to gain confidence in my role as leader of the group. ‎As a leader, I motivate group members to develop a vision for their families to ‎contribute to their savings regularly. We are now one of the best-performing self ‎help groups in the area. By 2021 our savings had grown significantly, ‎totalling over 1.25 lakh Rupees (€1,385). However, due to the long lockdown and resulting recession in the ‎work, we had to distribute the savings among the members. We have started up the ‎monthly savings again and every member contributes 500 Rupees every month. Our focus is ‎shifting toward saving enough money to ensure better education for our children ‎and take care of our health-related needs. ‎

Like other members of my group, I have been engaged in cobblestone-making for ‎about twelve years now. We used to worked in cobble yards and were paid a piece ‎rate. Later, we started getting the raw materials at our homes. Our wages remained ‎minuscule in both arrangements, and there was no consideration of health and ‎safety. I had always wanted to start something on my own, so the EDP helped ‎me to develop a vision for my own enterprise. Some four years back, I invested all ‎my savings and set up a small workshop where I started producing a small number of ‎cobblestones. I employed two women workers for this as well. We used to sell the ‎finished material to suppliers through agents. This venture helped us to earn a little ‎more money and freedom to work in a safe place and at our convenience. ‎

My efforts came to a grinding halt in March 2020. The pandemic, and subsequent ‎lockdown, meant severe restrictions on business. I was slowly burning through my ‎savings and was unsure whether the work we had started would be able to continue. The work opportunities resumed when lockdown rules relaxed, but I didn’t have money to start again, and returning to casual labour was my only option. The Work: No Child’s Business programme came forward to help me. ‎I was given financial support for working capital and to arrange a work shed. I ‎started to work again and today we are five women working together. In this ‎workplace we take care of all the basic needs (like safety, health) and payment. ‎

My engagement in the mining sector as a casual worker and later as a home worker ‎taught me several things. I used to work in small yards with many other ‎women. These yards lack basic facilities such as drinking water, work sheds, and ‎even toilets. On the other hand, I have family responsibilities as a wife, a mother, ‎and a caregiver. These responsibilities and related societal expectations always ‎present barriers. As women, we want a workplace that is safe and (also) takes our role in the family into account. My dream is to develop a safe and convenient ‎workplace for women in my village … I’ve taken the first step in that ‎direction and am committed to following the path! I thank WNCB for bringing ‎about changes in our families and work, unlocking the tremendous potential hidden ‎within us.”