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>>Surekha
Sadafule
Mathkuli Village
Surekha, like many other VHWs, came from a disadvantaged
background and low caste. At the age of fourteen, Surekha left
school to marry into an abusive household. She endured severe
violence, including her husband’s multiple attempts to kill her.
The psychological trauma from these events was so damaging that
she considered suicide as her only way out. Surekha heard that
the Aroles provided mental health support and counseling, and
sought out their help. While working with them to improve her
own health, she sat in on VHW training classes, and became very
interested in CRHP's work. Surekha soon healed and told her
village of Matkuli about the classes and how CRHP supports
villages in matters of health, education and development. Soon,
the village nominated Surekha to become a VHW.
At CRHP, Surekha accessed her true potential and learned skills
that made her an invaluable asset to her community. “Initially,
I was like a frog stuck in a dry well. I had a very limited
perspective on life, and all I felt was the dryness. All I saw
were the walls that surrounded me. When it rains, that situation
changes and the frog is able to swim up and jump out of the
well. It then sees how big the world really is. Once I started
working with CRHP, I began to see life in a different way.”
Breaking down caste barriers and dispelling harmful traditions,
Surekha has changed her community. Surekha’s commitment to
better ante- and post-natal care dramatically reduced infant and
maternal mortality, and increased the number of healthy births.
Surekha is now optimistic for the future of women in her
village, because of the opportunities now available to them. Her
own daughters are pursuing careers in medicine and law
enforcement. After 20 years of tackling health issues, she has
started to address a new issue, mental health, and hopes to
broaden the impact of health and development in her village.
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