Empowering Gagwana: Sarpanch Guljan Khanum’s Mission | Fusion - WeRIndia

Gagwana Sarpanch Guljan Khanum is making a remarkable difference. Gagwana is a tranquil village located 10 kilometres from Ajmer, Rajasthan.

Guljan not only is successful in playing her role as the head of the Gram Panchayat but also spends her time teaching English and History to high school girls.

Coming from a family that valued education, Guljan pursued a master’s degree in English and became a teacher after completing her B.Ed.

Her journey into village administration began with a strong desire to challenge societal norms restricting women’s education and pushing them into early marriages.

In 2020, Guljan won the Sarpanch election for Gram Panchayat Gagwana, giving her a platform to influence the entire village.

She focused on the importance of education in empowering women, especially young girls. She also highlights her dedication to changing attitudes towards women’s education.

Under her leadership, Gagwana’s schools saw significant improvements. Guljan introduced regular parent-teacher meetings, ensuring parents stay informed about their children’s education and activities. For this, she created a WhatsApp group.

She also fights the stereotype that rural education must be limited to Hindi-medium.

In addition to that, Guljan also helps students find their goals and guides them towards achieving their dreams. She also helps them overcome cultural and economic constraints.

Guljan’s husband, Bilal Khan, supports her efforts. Despite having a one-year-old son, she balances her responsibilities. Some of her duties include visits to NREGA sites to listen to beneficiaries and share information about government schemes.

Her impact goes beyond education. Guljan has formed 25 women self-help groups, empowering each group of 16 women.

She has identified opportunities, facilitated government loans, and connected women with employment and businesses, fostering financial independence.

Skill-development courses like tailoring, beauty parlour training, and computer courses have been introduced through various NGOs.

Guljan believes that economic self-reliance and education are vital to women’s empowerment. Gagwana women are running successful businesses and contributing to their households and community.

Thus, Sarpanch Guljan Khanum has become a beacon of hope for Gagwana’s women.

Image Credit: Shahrukhalam334, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_view_of_ajmer_city.jpg