Thread by @OfRunjh

The Siddhi community of African descent were brought as slaves to India by Islamic dynasties in the 7th century and later enslaved by British.

This Siddhi woman decided to change the fate and future of her community.

Hirabai Ibrahim Lobi

🥇Padma Shri |Gujrat
#PadmaAwards2023

The Siddhi community's traditional occupation is cutting wood. She worked with her husband to repay a debt of 1 lakh.
To save her land from being sold, she started looking for other means of income.
She heard about organic compost on a radio telecast and decided to work on that.

Using Organic compost as a means of earning,she brought many women of her community to work with her and train
She retained those who were willing to study along with working.

She has worked with more than 700 women n helped them move from their traditional occupation to compost

Her illiteracy hurt her, she initiated many programs to push education amongst the girls.

From holding discussions and talks to enlighten the women about education,hygiene,birth control to actually helping schools have better attendance,Hirabai has relentlessly worked on her ppl

Helping schools in shambles,opening bank accounts of women,walking them to offices,help them fill forms,discouraging her people from chopping woods of Gir Forest.

These tiny but effective steps have brought her to the pedestal of national admiration.

Hirabai Lobi

🥇Padma Shri