Women Empowered
The achievements of the cooperative have not gone unrecognized and several women quilters have been elected as village leaders. Aminabi Siddi is now at the head of her village panchayat (council) in Gunjavatti. This is a noteworthy feat for women who live in a system where wives must still refer to their husbands by an honorific rather than by name. The women's newfound power though has still to fight against patriarchal structures. Some husbands take advantage of their wife's new profession by refusing to seek work, while others betray their envy by demanding to be given the earnings. Because of the strong spirit of communion engendered by the cooperative, individual women know that they can depend on their peers to fight on their behalf.