Chami Devi Murmu: From a fistful of rice to millions of trees
About 51 years old
Bagraisai Village, Rajnagar Block, Seraikela Kharsawan District, Jharkhand
Chami Murmu, a 51-year-old environmental warrior, has been resolutely greening the barren lands of her state. One self-help group (SHG) after another, one difficult conversation after another, Murmu has dedicated her life to revitalising her community and the environment. In recognition of her accomplishments, she was awarded the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar (2019) by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the Padma Shri (2024).
Individual accolades notwithstanding, her work has always been deeply rooted in community. Mobilising women into collective action started with a simple idea:
“Hum log bhi kuch karenge” “[we will also do something]”, a straightforward expression of collective agency and participation. She says, “We saw that, in our region, there is a huge issue with the environment. All this used to be barren land. So we thought we’ll start with some planting.”
Along with a group of women, Murmu began by organising village meetings to discuss the pressing environmental issues and potential solutions. Initially, this group did not receive much support. They faced a lot of opposition, even from their own households. “Mahila log kya baithak karenge”, “[what meetings will women-folk conduct]”, she recalls people saying dismissively. Nonetheless, women would sneak away to participate in the initiatives. Despite the initial resistance, they kept at it. Slowly, perceptions began to change. “They would not even allow us to travel in a vehicle,” she recalls, “because they would fear untoward incidents that might bring shame and humiliation to our society.”
By and by, hearts and minds have been won: “We go to each village, have conversations with the people, and help them understand.”
We did not accept defeat, we kept working, and we showed that our work worked.
Today, led by her, the organisation, Sahayogi Mahila in Bagraisai, Jharkhand, is credited with planting over three million trees, rejuvenating the landscape and local livelihoods, and empowering women to act to reshape their communities. While Murmu established nurseries with native plants like sheesham, neem, and sal, using local seeds, the work extends beyond tree planting: Murmu actively promotes water harvestingand encourages women to embrace animal husbandry and encourages women to embrace animal husbandry as a means of a means of livelihood.
A key element of Murmu’s approach was the formation of SHGs. Initially, these groups, primarily consisting of women, pooled resources such as rice or small monetary contributions, to fund community projects. This collective approach fostered a sense of ownership and responsibility and empowered the women economically. “After many conversations, the women understood and now they also go to work as labourers and
practise agriculture themselves,” Murmu notes. These SHGs linked up with banks and government schemes, which has enhanced financial support for various initiatives, including goat rearing and seasonal crop production. The district has approximately 2,800-2,900 SHGs, graded #1 and #2 in the country. Despite the growth and scale, the decision-making remains democratic and at the grassroots. “First, we do a gram sabha and collectively decide on what work needs to be done in that village. Then we break it down at the project level.”
Murmu responded creatively to challenges of financial sustainability. At first, the members each began to set aside one fistful of rice a week, which they would sell at a rate agreed upon by the group, say INR 5 or INR10. The proceeds would go towards the group’s activities. Murmu and her team slowly awakened other women groups and promoted agriculture. They helped with bank linkages, account opening, and access to loans for agriculture and livelihood. They worked on water resources, creating ponds and open wells on land that were unsuitable for cultivation.
The barren lands are now green and sustainable agricultural practices have taken root, ensuring better livelihoods for the community. Through it all, a close tie to the forest animates Murmu. The forests do not just offer fuel and food: they benefit the collective, by providing shade, improved air quality, and more. She emphasises, “Jal, jungle, jameen, jan” “[water, forest, land, people]” - all are intertwined, and no one escapes the duty to contribute.”Everyone has to plant. We don’t see caste the environment sees no caste”. Listen:
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