WomenStrong Madurai
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Gaining in Confidence New face of Women Empowerment

I, Chandralekha got married at the age of 17. I am not matured enough then; I am not aware of family commitments and responsibilities. I never thought I would get married that soon. Since my teen age, at home they used to tell that I would be marring my maternal uncle. He always used to express his hesitation for our marriage as he knows me since birth and we were grown up together in our neighborhood.

My mother arranged for my flower showering (puberty) function and my marriage as suggested by my grandmother. They decided to club the ceremony and the event together in order to avoid double expenses towards subsequent functions. My grandmother is solely responsible for this as she wants me to get married with her son. As my father is a drunker and he used to drink daily and abuse my mother, he never shared any family responsibility. The locals were well aware of my father’s abusive character. Hence my mother also feared that it is hard to get me a groom as they will feel ashamed to get married to a girl of such a habitual drunker. My grandmother easily convinced my mother for the marriage. I am not matured enough to understand my age or that of my uncles age. I hope he is 25 -28 years age then. In my I am the eldest and I had 2 younger brothers. My maternal uncle worked as an auto driver. My family gifted me 10 sovereign gold ornaments for my marriage as per tradition by sparing hard earned money, their savings and through credit from merchants.

After marriage, we were given a two room space in the grandmother’s home. We started our family separately in that home. My husband used to give me Rs.50 or Rs.100 once in two –three days to run the family. My grandmother used to support me to meet my family expenses by sharing her pension money (my grandfather worked as a Tavali in Madurai collectorate and after his death my grandmother got family pension). My mother who also works as a domestic help in the nearby houses also used to bear the family expenses when there is a need. My brothers though by now discontinued their studies and started working and set their respective families, never bear any of my needs. At times they do approach our mother and grandmother for meeting their financial needs. In between little by little my husband started demanding my gold ornaments for the sake of meeting auto repairs and other occupational needs. I am not that good enough to understand his poly then. By the time I realize he is cheating me. I lost almost everything except the nose stunts. Once all my belonging was drained in five years he stopped coming home at all and I realize then that I needn’t ever think of my husband to support the family. Initial three four years I never felt I am depending on my aged grandmother and mother. When I got two children by the fourth year, by then I felt that I am depending solely on my grandmother and mother for even meeting the need of my small babies.

Realizing the situation and the need to bear the hiking family expenses and to manage my family needs I started to work in the neighbouring house as a domestic help to fetch portable water. I am paid Rs.500 per month for this work. As years rolled over as the needs and responsibilities aroused I increased the number of houses gradually and started doing other household works like brooming, floor cleaning, washing kitchen vessels and cloths. Now, I am working in six houses and earning monthly Rs.6000/-

When I saw other SHG members being in the group save money and get credit benefits as and when needed, I joined Kannathal Kalanjiam in 2004 of mathichiyam cluster in our Karumbalai Vattara Kalanjiam. I started with Rs.100/- savings and later my first loan was Rs.2,000/- towards house hold needs. Then Rs.10000/-ten thousand at the behest my husband for his auto repair as told by him. Once I realized that my husband is exploiting I stopped giving him any money. It is then he abandoned the family. Thereafter he ceases coming home. I also make up my mind not to entertain his exploitation here after. Then through two loans of Rs.30,000/- and Rs.50,000/- I purchased three sovereign of gold ornaments for my daughter, by repaying the loans in installments. I had one son and daughter studying 11th and 9th standard in schools. My son is studying in Sethupathi high school. With assistance from one of my employer a retired teacher part of his study expense has got waived off Rs.2500 out of his Rs.4500 fees.

When it seems, everything is going well my grandmother’s house where I raise my family was evicted at the pretext of encroachment clearance in 2014. The land is allocated to my grandfather by the then district collector with proper documents. As it was government allocated land we never registered but constructed our home there during our grandpa’s time. When the house was evicted our whole harmony got disturbed. We shifted to a rental house nearby at Rs.3,500/- as monthly rent. My mother takes care of the rent, electricity expenses and I meet the family expenses through my wages. To claim back the procession of the land I had filed a court case and rebuilt a thatched hut in the place to profess our ownership. I was already having a loan of Rs.50,000/-in Kalanjiam. Then all happened all of a sudden, without taking into the cost of loan, I borrowed Rs.40,000/- each at 12% interest from two of my employers. The interest is to be paid at Rs.400/- per month till I clear the whole principle. For one house owner I paid Rs.2,000/- every month by adjusting their wage with them, it took two years and one month to clear the debt. By the time I fully pay one of the Rs.40,000/- loan I had paid Rs.20,000/- towards interest for both my lenders. I still had a Rs.40,000/- loan pending with one employer.

Now after clearing my previous loan in Kalanjiam, I got my second Rs.50,000/- loan from Kalanjiam in the month of April 2016 to repay the debts I had with the employer and other petty debts. It is very helpful being in a Kalanjiam. Now, Just I am paying only to Kalanjiam, why I am giving first preference to Kalanjiam as, while I am repaying the money to Kalanjiam the interest is diminishing with every principle payment. I am certain that by getting this loan I will repay the funds early and save a decent interest savings through the Kalanjiam loan. Here after, I won’t go for any outside debts. I got any situation I not get outside debt, I will borrow loans only from Kalanjiam.

“My daughter is studying well; yet looking at our family situation she never shared anything over her future ambition in education. My son dreams to become an IPS officer. If they are serious about their dream and want to take higher education and I am there to support them with the help of Kalanjiam.” My children’s’ passion is my only passion.

WomenStrong Madurai

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WomenStrong Madurai