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Swarnalata Devi, a fifty year old social worker from Orissa in India, has been conferred the prestigious World Summit Foundation Award “Women’s creativity in rural life”. This recognition is given by the Swiss based organisation each year, to some thirty outstanding women and groups who have proven exceptional courage and creativity in improving the quality of life in rural communities and the advancement of development and peace. Ms Devi who began her mission in 1974, when she set up a voluntary organisation, has been struggling relentlessly for the past twenty-five years in her plight: she mobilised the villagers to use latrines, helped people to plant trees in wastelands, along roadsides and riverbanks thus creating a beautiful greenbelt. She stood behind the poor to save their land and pushed for the construction of the first road, as well as introducing an inovative irrigation system, to name but a few of her many achievements. |
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