Bharati Shakra
Bharati works for ActionAid in Balangir. She is a Programme Officer and spends 15 to 20 days every month visiting villages in the Balangir area. She spends the other 10 days working in the ActionAid office in Balangir town.
Bharati often visits Khalipathar village. She works closely with an organisation called ADHIKAR. Jatin Ku Patra works for ADHIKAR, and Bharati and Jatin often work together in the village.
They meet with the villagers to discuss what changes need to be made to improve life and then make plans.
Bharati is very committed to her work:
"The thing I like most about my job is working with the poorest of the poor. If we can ensure food for all the poor people in the villages so they don't have to migrate in search of food that would be my greatest pleasure in life."
However, Bharati sometimes finds her job difficult:
"The hardest thing about my job is trying to help the community fight for their rights. When people have an empty stomach they don't always feel like fighting".
Bharati feels that, "the energy of people fighting for their rights and moving forward is a great thing about ActionAid's work". Since ActionAid has been working in Khalipathar some of the poorest people have got involved in the Panchayati or village council and they are having a say in the future of their village.