My Compelling Story

Phoolbasan Bai Yadav is an Indian social worker who is the founder of Maa Bamleshwari Janhitkari Samiti, an NGO that works for the development of economically and socially backward women of Chhattisgarh.Phoolbasan Bai Yadav belonged to a very socially backward family with little-to-no financial resources.She had to leave her schooling due to her familys poor economic condition and because of her marriage; she got married at the age of 10. She had to leave her studies also because of her father, who did not believe in the education of girls.She began her social career after she took part in self-help group activities in her district. Soon, she started her own self-help groups such as Pragya Mahila Samooh, Kiraya Bhandar, Bazar Theka, and established ration shops (for distribution of food among the people below poverty line (BPL)). Later in 2001, she brought all the groups together to create Maa Bamleshwari Janhitkari Samiti, which has a very strong influence in all of Chhattisgarh. Logo of Maa Bamleshwari Janhitkari Samiti.Ever since its establishment, the organization has created 12,000 women self-help groups with a strength of over 200,000 members reportedly.The organization has collected around Rs. 250 million, by taking Rs. 2 from each person. [2]Maa Bamleshwari Janiykari Samiti Facebook Profile.The NGO has undertaken works related to health, education, sanitation, and social reforms and has conducted regular polio vaccine clinics, opened schools and Anganwadis, organized food programs for children, set up earning programs for women, and campaigned against child marriages.The organization has also organized campaigns such as Sharab Bandh (through which they have claimed to close down 250 liquor shops in the state), Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, and preparation of 20,000 soak pits for rainwater harvesting in the district. Phoolbasan Bai Yadav with Maa Bamleshwari Janhitkari Samiti in their Nasha Bandh Campaign.Her path to improve the lives of women in Chhattisgarh was not smooth as she met with many obstacles, including her husband, who used physical force to stop her from going out of her home and coming home late in the night. However, he soon understood her goodwill and began supporting her.Phoolbasan garnered attention when she took part in a Mahila Olympic organized by her district administration (Rajnandgaon) in which she won the first prize.