Augustina Soreng, a young tribal woman from Simdega, Jharkhand, India, has been a catalyst for change in her community for over a decade. Her passion for grassroots activism and her deep connection with her community has enabled her to make a positive impact on the lives of many individuals.
Augustina's journey as a grassroots activist began with her eagerness and curiosity to work at the grassroots level. As she connected with her tribal community living in remote villages, her desire to understand and help them increased. She felt a strong connection to her own community, which had been neglected for far too long. This inspired her to become a grassroots worker and work among her people in Simdega, Jharkhand.
The tribal population in her area is about 70%, and while many are educated, they are not aware of the constitution and laws that are supposed to protect them. Due to this, they are often evicted from their lands, forests, and resources. If they do not have their own business, they are forced to migrate, and women are often subjected to various types of violence. The patriarchal system and thinking prevalent in society also make it difficult for women like Augustina to lead and fight for their community, along with facing the reality of not having any monetary support through grants or funds to support the community, and also her team.
Despite these challenges, Augustina has found effective ways to build trust and rapport with the communities she works with. She has gained their trust by helping them connect with government schemes and benefits and by supporting them with her constant physical presence. She also gives useful suggestions for the children and the village, which helps in building relationships with the community.
One of Augustina's proudest moments was when she got 64 families to apply for MNREGA job cards during the lockdown period in two villages in Simdega, Kersai and Nawatoli. She got job cards made for all and helped three to four families benefit from the ground well scheme. This made the villagers believe that work could be done without corruption, and it gave them hope for a better future. Two of her community leaders were also elected unopposed in the 2022 panchayat elections, which is a testament to the impact of her work.
Augustina involves the community in the planning and implementation of her projects. She visits them according to their convenience, and they collectively take decisions on the time, place, and day. This ensures that they are involved in decision-making and helps in building stronger relationships with the community. Face-to-face conversations are preferred over online communication as it helps in building trust and rapport with the community, due to the lack of availability of technology and innovation, and the general unawareness surrounding devices, the Internet, and things that may be considered 'technologically normal' in urban India.
One of the strategies Augustina has found effective in promoting gender equality and empowering women in the communities she works with is to increase the number of women in community leadership, governance, and government functioning. By prioritizing education and taking leadership herself, Augustina has helped women gain a place in society. She also emphasizes and reminds the community of the laws that protect women, and provides assistance with filling out forms, speaking to police and court officials, and writing applications. Although bringing gender equality is still a long struggle, Augustina remains hopeful and continues to work towards it.
Balancing the need to preserve traditional cultural practices with the need to promote development and modernization in the communities she works with is another challenge Augustina faces. She believes that the community and society must work together to preserve traditional cultural practices, while the youth rely on stores for modern necessities like websites and podcasts, and hopefully, make use of these resources to preserve them. However, lack of government support, poverty, and post-COVID unemployment have forced people to migrate to metropolitan cities, making the preservation of culture challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected Augustina's work as well. As online processes have increased, it has become difficult to explain and connect with the community, who are often left behind due to the lack of resources to support any such initiative. However, Augustina and her networks continue to provide information and assistance to the community, handholding support, and helping others as much as possible, despite the lack of funding and fellowships. To further her work and improve the lives of the communities she serves,
Augustina appeals to the government and other organizations to act according to the needs of the community and provide funding for community leaders to connect with social services and provide facilities to their villages.
She stresses that concrete initiatives like spending funds on the priority needs of marginalized communities are necessary for real change.
For those interested in working as grassroots workers with marginalized communities in rural areas, Augustina advises that this field requires selflessness and a desire to serve the community. It may not be financially rewarding, but the joy of simplicity, honesty, innocence, belongingness, lifelong relationships, affection, love, and togetherness make it worthwhile. By working with marginalized communities, Augustina found the opportunity to live life with human values like simplicity, spontaneity, and naturalness, which are often lost in the modern world.
And for those in charge, Augustina believes that in order to effectively implement schemes for tribal communities, institutions and governments must approach the task with loyalty and honesty, while also taking into account the unique cultural and behavioral characteristics of these communities. It is important to recognize that plans and programs that may work well in non-tribal areas may not be immediately adopted by tribal communities, and as such,
it is the responsibility of governments, political parties, and organizations to tailor their planning and implementation to align with the natural tendencies and behaviors of the tribal population.
This requires careful consideration of the specific needs and challenges facing each community, and a commitment to adapting plans as necessary to ensure that they are successful. Ultimately, the success of any initiative designed to support tribal communities depends on the extent to which it is able to take into account their unique nature and specialties.
Augustina's work is a tribute to those who left a natural heritage for us, and she is dedicated to serving her community as far as she can. She cooperates with the community to the best of her ability because they are hers, and she is theirs. Her unwavering dedication and passion for empowering women and preserving traditional cultural practices while promoting development and modernization are truly inspiring.
Augustina Soreng is a trailblazing young tribal woman, who has spent the last 12 years actively engaging in various movements and organizations to promote awareness of constitutional values and gender justice in her community. Her unwavering dedication to equality and commitment to serving historically oppressed classes and groups have earned her a reputation as a tireless champion for social justice. With her infectious energy and sweet disposition, Augustina continues to inspire and empower those around her to work towards a better future for all.
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