Bio–data Of Indira Oinam - Women's Income Generation Centre (WIGC)
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Indira Oinam - Women's Income Generation Centre (WIGC)

BIO –DATA OF INDIRA OINAM
Secretary,
Women's Income Generation Centre (WIGC),
Thoubal, Manipur

Non Official Board Member of All India Handlooms
Under Ministry of Textile, Govt. of India

1. Name : Indira Oinam
2. Date of Birth : 01-02-1975
3. Father's Name : Oinam Chaobhal Singh
4. Mother's Name : Oinam (O) W. Ibemhal Devi
5. Place of Birth : Thoubal Ningombam, Thoubal District, Manipur
6. Educational Qualification : B. A.
7. Telephone No. : 03848-223799 (O)
8. Email : [email protected]
9. Present Address : WIGC Complex, Thoubal Wangmataba, Near Thoubal College, P.O. & P.S. Thoubal, Thoubal District, Manipur – 795138

EARLY CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION

Ms. O. Indira Devi was born on the 1st February 1975 at Thoubal Ningombam, Thoubal District, Manipur. She is the sixth of the nine children and the second among the daughters in the family. She started her study at the Ningombam L. P. School, Thoubal and completed her HSLC Examination in the year 1992 at the Keinya Girls High School, Thoubal. She graduated from the Waikhom Mani Girls College, Thoubal in 1998 with 1st Class in Education securing 777 marks under Manipur University.

She grew up in a poor family. Her parents and elder brothers did not pay any attention towards her education and always discouraged her. She did schooling on her own and purchased her textbooks by earning extra money as private tutor. Sometimes she earned money by embroidery works of mosquito nets, bed sheets etc. Not only did she involve in domestic works but also helped her three younger sisters in their education. She educated them up to Graduation.

During her school days, she participated in many co curricular activities such as debate and symposium competitions, organized by schools, local clubs and civil society organisations. She got prizes and stood 1st position in most of the competitions. Those small but valuable prizes in the form of exercise books and dictionaries were of priceless value to her education during those days.

It deserves to mention some incidents happened during her childhood. One happened when she was studying in class VII. One day there was a school debate competition in which she was also a participant. Nearly 25 students from the nearby schools joined in the competition. All the students were accompanied by their parents. The parents encouraged their children and were very happy to see the performance of their children although they did not get the highest position in the competition. Ms. O. Indira Devi stood 1st Position. But she was very disappointed and felt weepy to see the parents of other children because she participated in the competition without the knowledge of her parents and other family members. There was none to encourage her and to clap when she received the first prize. She returned home very late holding the prize (books, exercise books, pen and pencils). Her father was very angry and warned against participating in any competition in future as an excuse of coming home late. She spent the whole night with the endless tears and was in deep pain comparing her life with those of her peers.

Another incident was that one day she (when she was studying class VI) returned home from school along with the children of her uncle. At that time, she was very hungry. While they reached home, her aunt warmly took her three children to the kitchen and fed to their satisfaction without casting even a look at her. She endured the hunger by holding the pillar of the house. By touching the empty stomach with her hands, she eagerly watched them eating.

That very incident made her promise to feed the hungry orphan children when she becomes an adult. This is the reason why Ms. O. Indira Devi established Ashram for Children where children are provided with education, food and accommodation, health and other life skill facilities.

During her academic career, she was a Senior Under Officer, 65 Girls Unit,NCC, Manipur. She completed First Aid Training Course at Military Hospital, Shillong and ATC Camp at Sainik School, Imphal. She got Good discipline, Hard working and Excellent Cadet awards. She joined CATC Training Course at 65 Manipur Girls NCC, Imphal and received Tackk-Kun-interest in all the camp activities. She completed All India Advance Leadership Training Course at Kailashpuram, Tamil Nadu under the sponsorship of the Director General of NCC. She received the all round best cadet awards (Governor's Medal) in the year 1995. She was honoured with Duke of Edinburgh Award for Gold Standard being a Senior Under Officer of the 65 Girls Unit. The Award was conferred by Queen Elizabeth of England.

After the receipt of enumerable awards from agencies of national and international repute, Ms. O. Indira Devi was approached to join in the government services as Army Officer or Youth Officer in the Central or State Governments. But she refused the job offer as she has a strong determination for working in voluntary sector for social service with the knowledge and experience gathered through out her life. She dedicates herself for the cause of poverty alleviation and ultimate care and protection for destitute women and children.

BACKGROUND AND THE INITIATIVES

Hailing from a very humble family, Ms. O. Indira Devi grew up with the spirit of social service and voluntarism. From the very early age of life, she started working for the welfare of women and children through poverty alleviation programmes. Firmly believes in the well being of the weaker sections of the society who are deprived of basic amenities of life. With tireless effort, she has been working with various community people and with every section of society.

With keen interest and great enthusiasm, Ms. O. Indira Devi established the Women's Income Generation Centre (WIGC) under the aegis of the Executive Committee of the Organisation. WIGC is primarily meant for poverty alleviation and ultimate care and protection of women and children. She took the responsibility of the organization as the Secretary. She supports the rural and urban artisans specially women irrespective of cast for their economic self-reliance. In her constant endeavor to increase the economic strength of the women of rural areas and poor urban families, she has been marching toward the transformation and reformation of the working condition of this particular working group who have long been deprived of common minimum facilities in their respective field of works.

Keeping in mind the primary objectives of the organsation, Ms. O. Indira Devi has been active in Women Empowerment, Promotion of SHGs, skill upgradation vocational trainings including computer education, community asset making, health and family welfare, health and sanitation, games and sports, employment generation and so on. In the light of the growing stress on helping weaker section, she has a wide coverage of women in the state in its overall activities specially designed and implemented for them. She has been imparting throughout out the year various vocational trainings and skill upgradation courses covering a large of women of every community coming from different parts of the state every community in the state of Manipur.

Ms. O. Indira Devi visualizes that the emerging trends of global market expels our traditional-styled artisans particularly those who are in the handloom and handicrafts sector (or home based crafts sectors). She dedicates her life for poverty alleviation by challenging the emerging global threat to our crafts persons or artisans. She firmly predicts that the most affected group of people who suffers a lot will be the womenfolk in rural and semi-urban areas. Consequently, the aged long traditional products have become extinct from the market scene leaving our craft persons with a bare hand. Though some rural development and other programmes do exist, this support to these helpless people, particularly women and their family members are dismal.

She initiates with determination to rediscover the talents of our craft persons/artisans to upgrade their unique skills with a view to strong economic self-dependence which is essential for this working community. Keeping in view of the firm belief that children are the pillars of the Nation and women, mirror of the society, Ms O. Indira Devi, within the framework of WIGC renders service primarily for the welfare of the destitute children who have single parents or lost both and destined to their own fate and as a result working in the hotels, workshops, passenger buses, and other local workshops as child labourers to support their families. They are being provided with education, different types of life skill trainings, health care, moral counseling, food and shelter.

Ms. O. Indira Devi has given proper care and protection to the orphan children who were brought up from their childhood by their grandparents whose financial condition and health is unsound and deteriorating day by day due to old age. Young girls who are otherwise vulnerable to various crimes including human trafficking are given suitable jobs for the welfare of their own lives and families by providing free accommodation in the WIGC's Ashram. They are properly trained in different kinds of voluntary trainings. She also renders services towards the care and protection of girls who are physically challenged by birth.

Birth Day Celebration of Ashram Children of WIGC is observed on 7th November every year. On this auspicious day, children exhibit their hidden talents by participating in various programmes. All the participants are given prizes as a token of encouragement of their talents.

She also takes up intensive programmes on combating human trafficking specially women and children. Manipur being a border state is highly vulnerable to this heinous crime in addition to the illegal trades of drug and arms smuggling. She believes one of the possible solutions to serious crimes towards women and children in Manipur is to provide them income generating activities for their financial sustainability, particularly to the destitute women, widows, divorcees, victims of armed conflict, terrorism, etc. Hence, since inception, WIGC has been conducting various life skill training programmes. At present, among the unique ones, the crafts of Kouna (water reed) and cane and bamboo trainings are going on with high potential products of international acclamation.

Tireless efforts are being made to ensure that the poor women below poverty line are attaining standard of health, adequate standard of living and economic sustainability through the formation of Self-help Groups. These women are benefited with micro loan facilities under WIGC through the State Bank of India, Imphal Secretariat Branch. All the SHG members from various communities have got the credit facilities. Proper capacity building training to upgrade skills in different trades were given to the below poverty line women prior to the release of SBI loan to each SHG members for easy repayment of the loan amount within stipulated repayment period. The capacity building and skill upgradation training are given to them in such way that they can repay the loan amount very easily either in cash or in kind of Kouna finished products.

Vocational trainings especially in handlooms and handicrafts are imparted to poor women by forming SHGs. They are purely destitute women, widows, divorcees and victims of terrorism. They are identified and selected as beneficiaries with the co-operation of the local authorities depending on the verification report given by the police department concerned.

A Swadhar Home for giving vocational Training to them for economic sustainability is also run at Oinam Bazar under the name of "Ashram for Destitute Women" with the facility of Toll-free help line phone. The home is meant for 100 inmates who are Widows, Divorcees, exploited by their husbands, in-laws, society. They are provided vocational training, specially in Kouna Products, for their economic sustainability. Proper care and protection are given to their children by providing Education, Nutritious Food and access to health facilities.

To upgrade their skills in different trades, capacity building training is also imparted. Legal/Health/Yoga/Counseling awareness programmes are also organised from time to time to replace their depressed mind with open mind and to reduce their inferior complexity of mind and degrading treatment.

These poor women are properly trained specially in Kouna handicrafts. Marketing supports of finished products are being provided by WIGC so that there will be no problem on their part to repay their SBI Loan amount. The products are sold in domestic and foreign market such as Denmark, France, etc. in addition to the local market.

Awareness Programmes on Human Trafficking are organised frequently for these women to have the idea of the root cause of the Trafficking and also to spread the massage of Traffickers to the young girls (not to be a victim of Traffickers).

A Shelter home for such victims was also established in the WIGC Complex with the facility of imparting vocational training in different trades to these victims.

Under the Ministry of (erstwhile) Human Resource Development, Department of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India, a Working Women Hostel with a Day Care Centre for 100 inmates was also established in WIGC Complex, Thoubal Wangmataba for a homely place for working women.

Ms. O. Indira Devi is also running an Ashram for 100 working children at Pallel, Chandel District. The working children neglected by their parents, guardians on account of poverty are provided with nutritious food, proper education, vocational training. Establishment of a special home for girls below 18 years of age who are orphans and destitute is on process. The Special Home is designed as Rehabilitation cum Vocational Training Centre.

Marketing oriented entrepreneurship training is also given to these women in addition to the counseling given by the counsellors to get them free from mind complexity and degrading treatment. WIGC located at comfortable and hygienic place, Thoubal Wangmataba has its own adequate Hostel Building, Administrative Block, Work sheds, Separate Ashrams for children in different districts for proper care and protection of women and child, specially, girl children.

POLITICAL CAREER

Her innate passion for serving the mankind, specially the weaker section, prompted her to join politics. She chose Bhartiya Janata Party after a long and meticulous discussion with many people. Empowering the people with financial independence and constitutional rights being her aim and objectives, she contested the 2012 Assembly election against the Chief Minister. Though she lost the election, it paved the way for the rejuvenation of BJP in Manipur. Ever since the party has been growing with It's strength in the state.

A proficient planner, Indira Oinam, has pledged to bring her party to power in the state by 2017 election. A divorcee with a daughter and a religious woman given by humanitarian principles, she has started planning for constructive strategies for the party in the State. She keeps a number of resourceful people from various works of life as her counsels.

PRESENT WORKS ENGAGED

- Vocational Training Courses
- Handloom & Handicrafts Training specially Kouna Crafts Training under STEP (women beneficiaries can earn Rs.2500-8500 per month)
(under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India)
- Working Women Hostel with day Care Centre
(under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India)
- Ashram for Working Children
(under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India)
- Swadhar Shelter Home with Women Helpline
(under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India)
- Special School for Child Labour
(under the Ministry of Labour, Govt. of India)
- Rural Information Technology Youth Development Centre under IITM
(under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt. of India)
- Campaign towards combating Trafficking of Women and Children
(under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India)
- Agasti Cultural Academy
(under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India)
- Training cum Rehabilitation Centre for Children in Conflict
(under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Govt. of India)
- Micro Finance through Promotion of Self-Help Groups (83 SHGs in different districts of Manipur with more than 1500 women members benefited with loan facilities)
- Awareness Generation Programme for Women Laborers
(under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Govt. of India)
- Tie-Dye Training Programme
(under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India)
- Yoga and Meditation (Training cum Research)
- GCI Girls Home
- Environment Project (specially medicinal plants)
- Agasti Creative Bal Bhavan
- Other casual programmes

SOCIAL INVOLVEMENTS

1. President, Association for Paona Memorial Arts Rural Development Services (APMARDS), Wangkhem Thoubal District. 1994-96.
2. President, BL/YF (NYK) Thoubal, 1994-95.
3. Chief Project Officer, CAPA, Thoubal District, Manipur, 1995-96.
4. Honorary Animal Welfare Officer, All India Animal Welfare Board, (Chennai).
5. Magazine Secretary, WMG College, Thoubal in the year 1994-94.
6. General Secretary, WMG College, Thoubal in the year 1994-95.
7. NCC-SUO – 65 Manipur Girls (Indep) Company, Imphal in 1995-97.
8. Member of DACO – Thoubal District AIDS Control Organisation in 1996
9. Member of District Peace Committee in 1994-99.
10. Member of State Level Peoples Participation in promoting Development Peace & Harmony 1997.
11. Member of South Asian Fraternity 1996-2000.
12. Joint Treasurer, Lion Club Thoubal Dist. 322D.
13. Executive Member, Awardee Forum, Manipur, 1996 onward.
14. Treasurer, National Awardee Federation Manipur, 1995 onward.
15. Executive Member, All India National Awardee Federation, 1994 onward.
16. Member Gandhian Institute of Rural Development (GIRD), Manipur 1996-2004.
17. Project Committee Member for IRDEO under SIDBI Govt. of India, 1999 onward.
18. Secretary, AMMAAMS (National Savings Organisation Govt. of India, Manipur Region Imphal), 1997 onward.
19. Secretary, N.W.W.A. Manipur, 1994 onward.
20. Member, District Advisory Committee, N.Y.K Thoubal, 2001 onward.
21. Patron Member, Sahitya Parishad Thoubal Masha, 2002 onward.
22. Active Member, NGO Forum Manipur, 1998 onward.
23. Member, UNM Manipur, 2002 onward.
24. Chairperson, District Child Welfare Committee (Thoubal Distt.) under Govt. of Manipur (2007)
25. Core Committee Member, Yuva Shakti Abhiyan, Manipur under NYK
26. Member, District/State Award Selection Committee
27. Extra-curricular Activities
- Freelance Writer (specially on women and child issues and Kouna crafts)
- Regular Talker to All India Radio, Imphal
- Regular participation in Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair (IHGF) and at India Expo Centre and India International Trade Fair (IITF).
28. Chairperson, Child Welfare Committee, Thoubal District, Manipur (2008 onward)
29. Service Provider under Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2008 onward)

AWARDS & FELICITATIONS

1. Devala Award (1992-93) under the Government of Manipur.
2. District Youth Award (1993) under the Ministry of Human Resource Development NYK, Thoubal District.
3. National Youth Award (1994) from President of India at Bhopal under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
4. Governor Gold Medal (1996) received from Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur.
5. International Duke of Edinburgh Award (1996) received from Director General, NCC, New Delhi.
6. Special Social Worker Award (1996) received from Deputy Commissioner, Thoubal.
7. Best M.P.K.B.Y. Agencies Award (1997) received from Director, National Savings Organisations, Govt. of India.
8. Award for Best R/D Account Opening in the Rural Area (1998) received from Director, Small Saving. Department, Govt. of Manipur.
9. Best Voluntary Award (1998-99) from NYK, Thoubal
10. Best Voluntary Award (2004-05) from Director, YAS, Govt. of Manipur
11. UNDP Award 2000 (Youth Volunteers Against Poverty Award) during UN Decade for the Eradication of Poverty 1997-2006.
12. Felicitation (2007) by ABVP at Yuva Vikas Kendra (Guwahati)
13. Prof. Yeshwantrao Kelkar Yuva Puraskar (Youth Award) received from ABVP and Vidyarthi Nidhi (2008).