20

Our Perceptions Shape Our Attitudes: My Experience at Sunderpahari

MEHMOOD HASAN

Realizing that our perceptions determine our approach to any person or situation, a Development Apprentice recounts how his negative impressions about the people of Sunderpahari marred his engagement with them and how change happened once he was willing to allow a shift in his perceptions about their innate nature and strengths.

When I joined PRADAN in Sunderpahari, my colleagues, who had been working there for many years, told me that the community in Sunderpahari was not an easy one to work with. The people were lazy, indifferent and unpredictable. I blindly believed this and formed a negative perception about the community. However, after working for almost two years, I have discovered that the people of Sunderpahari are not what I had thought.

Sunderpahari is one of the poorest, remotest, tribal-dominated blocks of Jharkhand’s Godda district. It is a part of Damin-e-koh (the Rajmahal hills). It is home to Santhals and Paharias. Geographically, the block is divided into two parts, the hills and the plains. The Paharias reside in the hills and the Santhals mainly live on the plains.

PRADAN began work in Sunderpahari in 1989 by introducing Arjuna plantations for tasar (pre-cocoon) activity. The project further expanded to tasar rearing. In 1995, the women of the area formed a Self Help Group (SHG).

I joined PRADAN’s Godda project in 2008 and spent the first few days visiting villages in the area such as Beldang, Salaiya, Dhenukatta, Harla, Kelawari and Bara. I saw the schemes that were underway—horticulture, paddy cultivation through System of Rice Intensifiction (SRI), dairy, reeling and spinning centres—and got a glimpse PRADAN’s promotion of livelihoods for the rural poor. I reached Sunderpahari on 6 August 2008, and was told by the Team Leader of Godda and my Field Guide, Binod Raj Dahal, that I was going to be based in Sunderpahari.

This was the beginning of one of the most difficult times of my life. When I reached the office, I met Praveen, an accountant in the Sunderpahari block. He welcomed me warmly, showed me the way to the room that had been hired for me and

Perspective: Our Perceptions Shape Our Attitudes: My Experience at Sunderpahari 21

helped me settle in. The third day, I went for my They took so long to tradition in PRADAN is that Village Stay—the first task of finalize an accommodation whenever a new Develop- a DA in PRADAN. Bikash for me that I began to ment Apprentice (DA) joins, made the arrangements for think that they didn’t want all the basic requirements are my stay. This was a long to accommodate me. I arranged for by the existing even thought that these procedure, and the protocol staff. people were being selfish had to be followed. I was and rude to be so reluctant introduced to the villagers at The first challenge I faced to do something for a meeting of the SHG. Bikash was that there was no toilet PRADAN when the explained to them the or bathroom facility in the organization was doing so purpose of my stay in the room. I asked Praveen how much for them. village. He asked the villagers he managed and he said that for permission to stay and he used the fields just like all also where I could stay. They the other villagers because none of the took so long to finalize an accommodation for houses in the block were equipped with me that I began to think that they didn’t want toilets. I had never been in such a situation in to accommodate me. I even thought that my life and discussed this with my senior these people were being selfish and rude to colleagues. They suggested that I use the be so reluctant to do something for PRADAN office toilet. The distance from my room to when the organization was doing so much for the office was around 200 m. I felt odd but them. My belief that the villagers were selfish realized that that was the best possible were only strengthened during my stay. One solution, given the circumstances. day, some members of the SHG came and requested that I share my 4 ft x 2 ft cot with No sooner was this solved, I faced the next a 15-year-old boy, reinforcing my thought problem. I was hungry and I asked Anurag, that the villagers did not want to give the Project Executive, where the nearest anything in return for all that they received eating place was. He said it was about 3 km from PRADAN. away. I was shocked. He suggested that I take his bike. Unfortunately, I did not know how My second Village Stay was in a non-tribal to drive one. He then asked Itwari, one of the village. After just four days in the village, I fell staff members, to drop me to the hotel. These ill with brain malaria (Malaria PF). I didn’t were novel experiences for me. I was amazed know what it was, however, until much later. that there were no toilet or bathroom facilities It began with a fever, which I thought was in any of the houses in the block and that because I had walked 5 km that day. But as there was no dhaba close by. ‘Where have I the day progressed, I started to shiver and at come?’ I thought to myself and wondered night my headache was unbearable. how the people working in PRADAN, who Gradually, my hands and my legs stopped were so qualified, stayed in this place. working and I thought I was going to die. I began to think of what would happen if I Over the next two days, accompanied by my died; how my body would reach home; what local Field Guide, Bikash Laha, I saw the would happen when my body reached my villages, the people, the roads, the terrain, the home; how my parents would react and how forest, the houses, the market, etc. On the they would feel. All these thoughts plagued

NewsReach Februray-March 2011 22

me because I knew that the I needed to reach After these experiences I nearest hospital was 25 km Sunderpahari somehow, decided not to continue in away; the village and the because I knew that I would PRADAN. But my nearby villages had no survive if I reached there. I colleagues in the doctor. I didn’t even have a organization, my seniors in asked Seema’s husband to mobile phone to call the university and my drop me to Sunderpahari on Sunderpahari. friends in the NGO, sector his bicycle but he refused, with whom I discussed the saying he was not feeling I finally asked the family I matter, all suggested that it well. I asked several people was staying with to help me. was too early to come to and finally I found a person They gave me two blankets this conclusion. who was ready to drop me to but I continued to shiver. The Sunderpahari. I almost felt lady of the house, Seema like a beggar when I was Devi, massaged some mustard oil in my head, asking people to drop me to Sunderpahari and their 16-year-old girl, Anita, made a and as more and more people were refusing cup of tea for me. I started to pray, “Allah, to do so, my perception, that they were forgive me for my sins, and I am coming to not actually human, became stronger. But you. You gave me many chances for one young man, Suneel, came forward to improvement but it is my mistake that I didn’t rescue me. He dropped me to Sunderpahari obey you. Allah, have sympathy for my on his cycle. family. Give them the courage to face this situation.” But the night passed and as After these experiences I decided not to the sun rose, so did my hopes of staying continue in PRADAN. But my colleagues in alive. I told Seema Devi that I wanted to the organization, my seniors in the university go to Sunderpahari as soon as possible. and my friends in the NGO sector, with She asked how I would get there because whom I discussed the matter, all suggested nobody in the village had a bike. I asked that it was too early to come to this if anyone in the village had a cell phone so conclusion. They asked me to stay a few days that I could make a call to Sunderpahari. more and then, if I was still not happy, I could Luckily, one person had a phone but he didn’t leave. want to make the call. He said that the battery was not charged. Seema Devi told me I went for my next assignment, another that he generally does not allow anyone to Village Study. Here too I faced many use his phone. I thought: ‘Oh God! This is problems. When I asked the villagers a extreme. Here I am, dying and he says that question regarding their village, they would the battery is not charged and I have come ask me many questions about myself before here to work for the development of people answering my question. I had to introduce like him.’ I went to his house and requested myself over and over again. As the Village him to make a call. By that time I was unable Study progressed, it seemed as if the villagers’ to walk. I was breathing heavily like a mistrust of me increased. Some people TB patient and had to be supported by started to say that I had come to their village two persons to walk to his house. He gave for trafficking girls; some said I was collecting me his mobile but there was no network the data to capture their land, etc. I felt very in the village. insecure in the village. They mistrusted

Perspective: Our Perceptions Shape Our Attitudes: My Experience at Sunderpahari 23

everything about me—my ran away. I returned from the I was not able to name, my identity. It was a village wondering why this understand the people. In painful experience for me. had happened. Out of spite of my repeated frustration, I decided not to efforts, I was not able to After completing the Village increase the number of go to that village again, I sent Stay and study, I went for participants in the training a message to Manjhiharam Foundation Course I (a programmes. I was (the pradhan of the village) month-long programme for becoming certain that that both the SHGs of his apprentices in PRADAN). It these people were not village would be closed was like coming to heaven. I going to change and that down. was dreading going back to it was a waste of time to Sunderpahari, to those selfish be here. I spent almost four months and unhelpful people. But I doing rigorous field work to had no choice. I had to go improve the condition of the back there. SHGs. I went door to door gathering the members for meetings, asking them to run On my return from the Foundation Course, I their SHGs properly, arranging accountants was assigned to work with the women’s for writing their books of accounts and SHGs. There were 34 SHGs in 20 villages in sometimes writing them myself when there that area. Of these, only a few SHGs were was no accountant available. But there was functioning well; some were functioning little response from the people. I also moderately, and a few were not functioning organized various trainings but the villagers properly. I decided to focus on those SHGs were not participative. Once I organized a that were not functioning properly. Wherever training for accountants with the help of a I went, I asked the SHG members why they senior colleague, Arunavo Ghoshal. He came did not run their SHGs properly. But they did to Sunderpahari to conduct the training but not respond. I thought the problem was only five people came to attend the within the community, with the people. I programme, and that also because I found thought of what a fantastic concept the SHG them walking by and requested them to join. was and that these people deserved it and When I asked them why they had not come, really needed it. Why then, I wondered, were they said, “Hirhing kida, dada (We forgot).” they not running it properly? The next day, I asked the others, who did not attend the training, what had happened. There are two SHGs in Jogimarna village, the They also had the same answer, “Hirhing Kiskuchurabaha mahila Mandal, and the kida.” It was an embarrassing moment for Maradbaha mahila Mandal. One day, I went me. I had invited an external resource person to attend an SHG meeting of the for the training programme and the Kiskuchurabaha mahila Mandal. I had sent a participants did not turn up. During that message to the SHG members that there period I organized many training would be a meeting on Thursday at noon. I programmes, but the participation was low. reached the village and found only one SHG “Hirhing kida, dada” was the response I got member, Karmi Murmu, there and she was from them every time. I was not able to also at home, I asked her about the other understand the people. In spite of my SHG members. Instead of answering me, she repeated efforts, I was not able to increase

NewsReach Februray-March 2011 24

the number of participants in the training vegetables (through improved techniques); programmes. I was becoming certain that etc. Once the planning was completed, I these people were not going to change and began work with the families (my target was that it was a waste of time to be here. to involve 375 families, but I managed only 204 families). I was way off my target— I also observed that the people of another embarrassment in front of all the Sunderpahari had the resources and the team members, and in my first livelihood structures. I also saw the pathetic condition season when the first impression was of some of the schemes which PRADAN, as important in PRADAN’s livelihood mission’s well as the government, had implemented, context. especially the land and water development- related schemes. I saw water in the wells, in But not meeting the targets was not all the the ponds, even in the summer, but the trouble that I faced. Seeds and fertilizers were people didn’t use the land for agriculture. I not available in the block. SHG members saw that the people’s interest was in earning were to deposit money and PRADAN their wages through making wells, ponds, professional would make the necessary etc., but not in utilizing these structures for arrangements to procure them. Some of the agriculture. I saw the micro-lift irrigation SHG members paid their money whereas the systems—one had been damaged by the others said that they would give the money elephants and another one was broken down at the time of delivery. I believed them and but no one from the community had taken asked the suppliers to send the required the initiative to repair these. Many of them amount of seeds and fertilizers. At the time were in good condition but were of no use, of distribution of inputs, the seeds and unless repaired. I saw the pathetic condition fertilizers were in PRADAN’s Sunderpahari of the water pumping machines, which the office. I wanted to hire a vehicle to take these villagers had got free of cost, but were not to the villagers but the vehiclewala was being used. Some of these were old, but demanding huge hiring charges. I realized some were absolutely new and the that if I pay this much for transport, the cost community had not used them even a single of inputs to the villagers would increase. Since time. One SHG, the Rajbaha mahila Mandal, I had to go to the villages to provide training of village Damruhat, asked me to take back to the SHG members, I decided that, the pumping set, which they had got through wherever I went, I would carry the inputs one of the schemes of the Tribal Welfare with me and distribute them among the SHG Commission (TWC). They said that they members. In some cases, as in Towabaha didn’t have space to keep the machine in their mahila Mandal, village Bariyarpur, the SHG homes and it had never been used. members started to bargain with me, as if I was a beej-khad wala. They said “Hurhu itte After 10 months in Sunderpahari, I faced the do bang jarura, kareli itte emua tabe em first and the most important livelihood season main, bang khai do bang (No need of paddy (after tasar), the kharif. I worked with the seed; give me bitter gourd seed if you want, SHG members to plan the activity—how otherwise not).” many acres would be under paddy cultivation, using the SRI technique; how I had worked so hard from planning to many decimals would be covered with distribution—collecting money from every

Perspective: Our Perceptions Shape Our Attitudes: My Experience at Sunderpahari 25

SHG member, making seem quite confident that packets for every SHG I shared my stress with they would do the task member, and delivering them the senior colleagues, properly and on time. who had been working in at their door step. I had Sunderpahari. They said carried 50 to 60 kg of weight, Gradually, I started to lose that they also faced that also in separate packets interest in working with these similar situations and (one packet of seed, one ‘type of people’. My problems, working in that packet of DAP, one packet of enthusiasm for community area. My negative MOP, one packet of urea, perceptions of the development faded. I became etc.), on a bike on a kachcha community became irritable and began to believe road, full of small stones, crystallized. that we lived in a hopeless in the heat of summer, in world, and that every May and June, when I had development professional just learned how to drive the bike. was a loser and I had joined a loser’s club. I remember falling down a couple of I felt I was wasting my time and I had to times, trying to balance the packets on the leave soon. back seat of my bike, as I drove. Those three months of the kharif season were very After working for a year—a year full of difficult for me personally. The result was that frustration and suffering, I decided to quit, I I lost Rs 6,000, which the SHG members reached PRADAN’s Godda headquarters to didn’t give me. tell the Team Leader that I was leaving the organization. This was the first time I was I shared my stress with the senior colleagues, going to share something negative with the who had been working in Sunderpahari. They Team Leader. In my earlier meetings with him, said that they also faced similar situations and I had told him that the community was problems, working in that area. My negative difficult but I was planning to apply some perceptions of the community crystallized. I strategies. I had never shared what was began to think, “These people are really bad, actually going on in my mind. and if somehow they become good, everything will become all right.” There was a horticulture workshop that I was attending and I decided that at the end of it I The intensity of my negative feelings for the would tell him. But before I could share community increased day by day. Whenever anything with him, he came up to me and I thought of the people, it was on the lines of said “Mehmood, you are the last professional “Oh! These people, I am quite sure they will in Sunderpahari. We are not going to deploy not come to attend the SHG meeting.” “Oh! any more people there unless some I have not gone to the last meeting; I know transformation takes place. Many that they themselves must not have professionals have come to work in organized the SHG meeting etc.” Sunderpahari but they were less interested in the development of the community and more With the passage of time, I also started to in their own career growth. No change has disbelieve the people. Whenever I tried to taken place in the life of the people of encourage or motivate them through Sunderpahari for a long time. It is you who meetings or through trainings, I myself didn’t can do that. I have full confidence in you.”

NewsReach Februray-March 2011 26

His confidence in me stopped Many questions arose: How me from sharing with him His confidence in me had the people of what I was going through. I stopped me from sharing Sunderpahari, who in the with him what I was postponed the idea of previous year had invested going through. I quitting and started to focus just Rs 32, 000 during the postponed the idea of once more on work with kharif season, suddenly this quitting and started to some new strategies and year invested Rs 1,47,000? focus once more on work plans, but only half-heartedly. How did the number of with some new strategies and plans, but only half- farmers increase from 340 Change is the rule of nature. heartedly. last year to more than 500 In some cases, it happens in a this year? And most fraction of a second whereas importantly for me, ‘Who in others it takes millions of years. Similarly, were these people who had invested’? Was it change in perception can happen with just the people of Sunderpahari? These lazy one incident or it can take months or years. people had done that? Their achievement Or, it may be possible that change in opened my eyes. I was not able to perception never takes place. understand this? What was it that I had missed?’ So, did a change take place in my perception of the people of Sunderpahari? I must say I That was not all. There was another miracle. had been so busy focusing on the negatives All the work on the mango and timber that I had not paid enough attention to the plantations under the Special SGSY project, positives. For example, sometimes, when I was done on time—from digging the pits went to organize a meeting of the SHG, it and filling them, to fencing them—everything had already been held. Sometimes, when I was done on time and within the given said that an activity had to be done in a cost, without any fuss. My other team particular way, they had done exactly that members were crying for the estimates of and on time. During the rabi season in 2009, mango plantations but I was very the people of Sunderpahari cultivated comfortable because there was no issue of cauliflower, radish, wheat, etc. I worked on costing there. I had planned for just 3 ha training them on how to cultivate these crops, because of my conservative thinking. especially cauliflower. I could not believe that Everyone asked me how this had happened. in some of the villages, the farmers were For me the question was not how but cultivating cauliflower for the first time and who? What had brought about this because of that I gave more time to the change in the people, who until a few cauliflower farmers. And they followed months back, could not do anything whatever I told them. and were now achieving some great things? I began to understand that the What happened during the kharif season in problem was not with the community, as I 2010 was not expected—either by me or by had thought, but within me. It was not the my team members and not even by my community who was the villain in this film; it senior colleagues of Sunderpahari. Amazing was my thinking of them, my thoughts of results were seen: More than 500 farmers, a the tribal communities of Sunderpahari, collection of Rs 1,47,000 and no bad debts! which were the villain.

Perspective: Our Perceptions Shape Our Attitudes: My Experience at Sunderpahari 27

After some of my doubts I needed clarity. Upon deep about Sunderpahari’s tribal After some of my doubts reflection, I realized that the community were cleared, I about Sunderpahari’s answers were not what I had tribal community were felt the impact of my understood of the situation at cleared, I felt the impact changed attitude in my that time. Let’s see what the of my changed attitude in working. Earlier I used to answers are: my working. Earlier I used roam around in search of to roam around in search what the villagers were doing Why had the villagers taken of what the villagers were wrong, but now I began to doing wrong, but now I so long to decide where I search for the things they did began to search for the would stay, during my first right and did them well. For things they did right and Village Stay? When my senior example, I began to did them well. colleague introduced me to appreciate their involvement the villagers, he had said I in the highly technical activity was from Delhi. The villagers of producing tasar, which needs microscopes thought that this new dada (new for testing diseases in the eggs of moths. This professional) must be an important person, if testing was being done by the tribals of he has come from Delhi and he needs to be Sunderpahari and not by scientists. given the best place of the village to live in. And that is what they did. They gave me the Since 2004–05, the people of Sunderpahari only pakka house of their village, where I have cultivated paddy, using the SRI stayed alone. It had taken them some time to technique. What is amazing is that these finalize that. tribes of Sunderpahari cultivate more paddy through SRI than the non-tribals of Poreyahat Why had the women SHG members wanted block of Godda district, who are far ahead of me to share the small cot with one of the Sunderpahari, in terms of agriculture. The boys of the village during my stay? The people of Sunderpahari have welcomed and villagers were superstitious and believed that adopted this technique. And a majority of the there were many ghosts in the village. They families, using SRI, in PRADAN’s livelihood wanted me to be safe and the little boy was intervention in Godda comes from sent there for my protection! Sunderpahari! Why had one SHG member run away when I I introspected about what could have made went to organize the SHG meeting in me form such a negative perception about Jogimarna village? That SHG meeting in the community of Sunderpahari? The Jogimarna village was not held because there questions continued to trouble me: Why had was a festival in the village that day and the villagers taken so long to decide where I everybody, including the women, were drunk would stay during my Village Stay? Why had at that time. Nobody had come out from their the women SHG members wanted me to houses and that one SHG member, with share that small cot with a boy of the village whom I met, was also drunk and that was during my stay? Why had that one SHG why she ran away. I had fixed the date of the member run away when I went to organize meeting without consulting with the women. the SHG meeting in Jogimarna village? Why If I had asked the villagers before fixing the had all these things happened? date of the meeting, they would have told me

NewsReach Februray-March 2011 28

that there was a festival that side and hence was defeated day and perhaps this The nazaria (perception) by Arjuna. Similarly, my of a person plays an confusion would not have negative perceptions were important role in happened. responsible for passing almost determining his actions. one-and-a-half years in exile, After this experience, I Why had I formed such full of suffering and realized that one person negative perceptions about frustration. could be wrong but not the community of Sunder- an entire community. pahari? It just happened. I did Of course, there are still not even know that I was various unresolved issues forming misperceptions. I had just heard of about the tribal communities of Sunderpahari some bad experiences from my senior such as are they really lazy or are they just colleagues in Sunderpahari and had made indifferent? Are they innocent or just very up my mind about the people there; their shrewd? One thing, however, is very clear, behaviour just seemed to fit in with what that they are really lagging behind the rest of I had heard and this reinforced my the world. Whether they are innocent or perceptions. indifferent or lazy or unpredictable, I am not sure, but I do know that they are in need of When I changed my perception and started our help. They are not as bad as I used to to think neutral, I realized that it was not the think earlier. people’s fault; it was my mistake. My perceptions were incorrect. They always The nazaria (perception) of a person plays an wanted to say something to me but I didn’t important role in determining his actions. focus on that. For me, this was the root After this experience, I realized that one cause of all problems. The community person could be wrong but not an entire was crying in front of me but instead community. The role our perceptions play is of helping them I had added oil to the fire, not limited to our attitude to the tribal as they say. During my dark era in communities of Sunderpahari but also Sunderpahari, I had closed three SHGs influences our daily life, where we and stopped going to many villages. I now differentiate on the basis of caste, creed, think that those SHGs need to be revived. class, race, and of course, religion. We make our perceptions the basis of stereotypes such I have heard that Karan in Mahabharata was as, “Oh she is doing that because she is a a great warrior and that he was even better Punjabi or he is doing that because he is than Arjuna at archery. But because of his Muslim.” We all need to rethink and re-look negative thinking, he went with the wrong at our perceptions.

Perspective: Our Perceptions Shape Our Attitudes: My Experience at Sunderpahari