Shelter Technology transfer from men masons to women

Technology transfer from men to woman

Shelter Technology transfer from men masons to women, as a silent empowerment drive from men masons to women masonry training in SEVAI Sirugamani village. In the construction of cows’ shelter, the SEVAI through Self Help Group members had launched female masonry as the shelter is constructed as an effort to meet the rising construction labour demand. Where masonry skills in rural areas were handed down as oral tradition to the family members, training under cow shelter construction project of SEVAI-OFI have a scientific approach, with ratio of mixture, brick laying and plastering skills is being transferred to women. At SEVAI, one group of SHG women members had joined masons in the shelter construction, where the women get exposed to simple construction technology. It is earlier difficult persuading women that they could learn masonry, and overcoming their fears of violating the cultural norm. A participatory training programme was developed to build up women's confidence that they could become skilful masons, to strengthen team-building so that women could face opposition, and to awaken the women's obvious but latent potential. To reinforce this, SEVAI has evolved a strategy for the women for participating attentively, being determined, persevering, being confident, co-operating, working hard, and being honest and loyal. Technology transfer is also involved savings and money management and hygiene so that the women could be agents of change within their communities. The women were trained in machine-operated hollow-block production, which developed their skills in house construction. The women associated in this construction technology transfer in construction are to gain confidence to speak in public, leadership abilities, managerial skills, dignity, and an improved status in the community.-Govin