WOMENS' DAY CELEBRATIONBack

On 17th March, 2013 ‘Women’s Day’ was celebrated by FIDES in the Auxilium School campus, Bandapura. At 11.00 am the programme began with a thunderous clap at the arrival of the chief guest and other invitees. The prayer dance by the Federation members invoked God’s blessings on the day’s event. The lighting of the kuthuvilakku (lamp) symbolized the presence of the Almighty in our midst.

The chief guest of the day Mrs. Dona Fernandes (President of Vimochana NGO) and the other special guests Dr. Anil Sangali (Consultant Neuro and Spine Surgeon, Mysore); Shri Y.V. Gundurao (retired (retired NABARD Officer) and Sri. Sripad Sangli (Certified Financial Planner and Legal Advisor (Mysore) were welcomed with a bouquet of flowers, a beautiful memento and the biography of Sr. Nancy Periera, the founder of FIDES.

Mrs. Dona Fernandes spoke passionately and urged the women to rise above all kinds of discriminations like inequality in the family and society, to stand for their rights, to fight and stop all atrocities against women and girls and many other problems like dowry harassment, rape, murder, girl child infanticide etc. faced by women. God has created every woman just as he created man equally and independently. To prevent these evils women need awareness and education. We need to put an end to child marriages, encourage and give opportunities to women for higher education and make them responsible in the family. Mrs. Dona inspired a revolutionary stance to promote the cause of women in society.

Besides, SHGs are not meant only for financial matters or for maintaining detailed account. SHGs are meant to promote peace, harmony, social changes and help one another to uplift the lives of weaker women. Women should be role models for the family, neighbourhood and nation at large. God has gifted only to women, the capacity to bearing children so we have to feel great and proud to give birth to children be it boy or girl. Women are not only to be confined to the kitchen and carry out the task there. They have equal rights like every other human being to live, grow and enjoy fullness of life. Mrs. Dona spoke at length to convince the women present to bring about change in their lives.

Sri Y. V Gundu Rao in his lively and humorous talk exhorted women to be independent and to give their best without any comparison for a united and happy family. He made use of examples and stories to drive home his message. He said, “My life in my hands and so everyone’s life should be in their own hands”, a life without dependency. In building up a family the woman plays an important part. A woman has to play different roles such as a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother with the qualities of loving, caring nursing and so on. Without a woman it is impossible for the society to improve and grow. God has placed a number of qualities in her and no one can destroy them. These qualities have to be used in a productive way and useful way. Though gathering of women at times is looked upon negatively by society, you have proved that it is not so with your SHGs. You meet for the purpose of growing intellectually, materially and psychologically. Read more.