The district headquarter doesn’t give that much care. The government likewise doesn’t care that much. Nor do the political parties and the organisations [NGOs]. Maybe they think we are near the district headquarter and therefore don’t need help. But in our village there are not that many educated people and they don’t understand. To make them understand, it will take long time and hard work. I wish there would come some development to our village and I wish they would get a job (L16 2009: 6). Durga perceives herself to be a role model for future Dalits, because she is one of the few in her village with a proper education and employment. Being educated, informed and employed, Durga displays modern aspirations and enjoys respect (Ijjat). Thereby, she becomes the example of a Dalit woman, who embodies the ideals of development. At the same time, her aspirations revealed that she is concerned with appropriating ideals countering the image of Dalits as poor, dirty, backward, etc. Her wish for improved possibilities of education, access to information and employment supported her aspiration to raise Ijjat, which is what she has experienced herself and what she aspires to happen for her Dalit community as well.
11.5 Urmila: Wishes Basic Livelihood and Youth do not Bow Down Urmila is a Dalit woman aged sixty-three, who lives in her youngest son’s house in Madichau with her second husband (her first husband passed away eighteen years ago), daughter in law and grandson and granddaughter. It is a poor family, the house is a simple clay house and they only have a small piece of land. Her youngest son migrated to Saudi Arabia for work, while her oldest son left for India eighteen years ago, as her first husband passed away. They have not been in contact for the past six years. Moreover, she has four daughters who live with their husbands (one daughter married without the parents’ consent). None of her children have gone to school, except from her youngest daughter who married without consent. Urmila was in poor health and was in pain most of the time. She has been hospitalised a few times and she thinks she has a gastric disease. Life is not easy and she said she often weeps due to the pile of problems in her life. Most of all, she is worried about her poor health and that she has not been in contact with her oldest son in a long time. Moreover, their land is too small for subsistence
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