For Anju, a transgender, begging was a means of livelihood in the past. Now, she has returned to her native at Udeva in Lingadahalli hobli of Tarikere taluk and has embarked upon farming for a dignified life.
Like other transgender community members, Anju too was not accepted by her family in the beginning. With the financial assistance from the Women and Child Development Department, she purchased Sindhi, a milch cow and started dairy farming.
Anju persuaded other transgender community members to take up self-employment and lead a dignified life.
When Anju decided to take up farming, farmer Somaiah gave her two acres of land on a contract basis to take up farming.
As Anju and other transgender community members had a rustic background and had knowledge on minute details of farming, they did not face much problem. Furthermore, the land also had irrigation facilities. They have successfully cultivated potato, maize, tomato and Indian beans.
They sowed the land, applied manure, insecticides, harvested the crops and later transported them to the market. Now, they have knowledge of marketing the crops as well.
The members have equally shared the profit they got from selling potatoes and are overjoyed at their success. They have also started “Madilu”, an association for the upliftment of transgender community members.
Anju said, “We are committed to leading a dignified life. The government and the society should respect us.” Anju was also the former president of Lingadahalli hobli Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
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