Unleashing Diva Potential
Basanti Bista is a 26-year-old health volunteer in highlands of Nepal. She’s a foot soldier in the battle to reduce child and maternal deaths in her community.
On the surface, Basanti is similar to most women in the U.S.. She’s a homeowner, investor and mother – a multi-tasker as we like to say. However, unlike many of us, Basanti has achieved success despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Born to a poor family, she was denied an education, forced to marry young, suffered verbal abuse and became a widowed mother all before her 25th birthday.
Unfortunately, Basanti’s story is not unique. A girl born in South Asia or sub-Saharan Africa most likely will grow up in a place beset by poverty and disease or conflict and famine. Cultural norms and economic hardships snatch opportunity from the hands of women and girls who have the potential to become pillars of their communities.
Most of our sisters in the developing world lack the rights we often take for granted. In places where destitution bears down on women each day, it takes much more than the ability to juggle work and family to simply survive. However, there is hope. While evaluating her life and next steps, Basanti met a CARE worker who got her involved in Ama Samuha, a local mother’s group. Later, Basanti was selected to be a health volunteer, receiving15 days of basic training and unleashed her latent potential for helping others.
Motivated by her work, and a desire to be more independent, she introduced a village savings and credit program into her group. Pooling their resources, the women loan money to other women as well as invest in various income-generating activities. The extra income allowed her to build a three-room concrete house, all on her own. “I built this house all by myself,” she said. “I made the doors and windows myself and also did the necessary labor to make this house. My neighbors are surprised that a woman can do such work."
Basanti has discovered her power. A sensible, empowered and independent woman, she is truly a diva in her own right. Together, there is something we can do to help others unleash their “diva potential”.
On behalf of marginalized women everywhere, I urge you to take a step. To honor International Women’s Day, head to one of 450 participating movie theatres on March 5th for an inspirational, educational event called A POWERFUL NOISE Live. On that night only, the acclaimed documentary “A Powerful Noise” will take viewers into the lives of three women overcoming extraordinary obstacles in Vietnam, Bosnia and Mali. But on this night, when the credits roll, theatergoers will be transported into something else: a movement to empower women in the fight against global poverty.
Immediately following the film, a town hall discussion with humanitarian experts and celebrities, including Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof and CARE advocate for Maternal Health Christy Turlington Burns, will be simulcast live from New York City to the big screens across the country.
In honor of International Women’s Day and women like Basanti, I urge you to join us. Let’s storm those theatres!
Helene
Helene D. Gayle, M.D., M.P.H., is president and CEO of CARE USA. Previously, she was director of HIV, TB & Reproductive Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Gayle is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University. She was director of the National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She served in the U.S. Public Health Service for 20 years, retiring as a Rear Admiral. Dr. Gayle also worked for USAID and been a consultant to WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the World Bank. She is based in Atlanta, GA.
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