Their involvement with activities beyond their hearths was perhaps made easier by the fact that the driving force was one among them: a 40-year-old, home-bound, unlettered woman by the name of Fatima Bi.

Fame has sought Fatima Bi out in the form of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)'s `Race Against Poverty' award, but the lady's commitment to lifting her village out of the throes of poverty remains firm.

Selected for organising self-help groups among the village women and mobilising the villagers for community development, Fatima Bi will receive the award from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at New York on October 17.UNDPproject officer Vijaya Bharati bears out the change in Fatima Bi, from the time, three years ago, she put her thumb impression on nomination papers for the post of sarpanch. ``From a shy and conservative woman, she was transformed into a dynamic and good leader,'' said Bharati.

When Fatima Bi was elected sarpanch, there were 20 self-help women's groups in the village. A UNDP training programme brought home the realisation of where she would fit into the existing scheme of things.

She took the village records from the mandal revenue officials and mooted the idea of bringing all the self-help groups together. A village development organisation, Proddu (Sunrise) was born.

``When I agreed to contest, I was told by my husband that I needed to put my signature wherever required and do nothing else. But now, he cooperates with me and encourages me a lot,'' says Fatima Bi.

Speaking to The Indian Express at the Proddu office here, she said the award belonged to the 300 women of the village who stoodbehind her during the initial tough times.

``The men of the village laughed at us. Some prevented their wives from venturing out, and others even bashed them up. Slowly, they realised our potential and took our efforts seriously,'' recalls Fatima Bi.

Fatima Bi began her new duties in right earnest. With the funds at her disposal, she laid cement roads in the village, built a water tank and school building, recalls Zubeda Bi, a Proddu member.

And slowly, success came along. With the formation of Proddu, the seed capital went up to Rs 2.75 lakh. The organisation started giving loans at interest rates of 24 per cent per annum as against the 72 per cent rate charged by private moneylenders.

Seeing the strides the villagers were making, the UNDP granted Rs 10 lakh as interest-free loan to the organisation. A ``micro plan'' was drafted on how to utilise the money, said Martamma, Proddu secretary. As many as 230 beneficiaries were identified and loans ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 20,000 were granted forsetting up a super bazar, cloth shop, cycle stores, hotel, dairy and to purchase horse carts, bullock carts and land.

Proddu now receives Rs 20,000 in interest per month. Having gained in economic strength, the women began to be conscious of their social responsibility. They identified 18 young widows and deserted women of the village led a life in misery, and brought the issue to the notice of the district administration. They compelled the administration to sanction pucca houses and ration cards to the women.

Adolescent girls of the village were trained in tailoring, embroidery, horticulture, cycling, nutrition and personal hygiene to make them self-reliant, said Esanna, who purchased a horse-cart with Proddu's financial assistance.

The women also vowed not to perform marriages of girl children till they attained 18 years. The next step was setting up a creche called `Ammavodi (mother's lap)', enabling the women to go to work; thus, the income of families doubled.

Seven old women disowned by theirfamily members are being paid a pension of Rs 50 per month. Three physically disabled children were adopted. Thirteen-year-old Shameem, a polio-affected girl was admitted to a residential school by paying Rs 6,000. Khader Pasha, also polio-affected, was admitted to a school in Kurnool and looked after by Proddu. On holidays, Pasha teaches illiterate women. Proddu also undertakes regular `Shramdan'.In doing all this, Fatima Bi has gained the villagers' unflinching support and respect. ``Fatima was a guiding force. With the cooperation of her husband, she shed the `burkha' and came out for our welfare. Vijaya Bharati was also of great help,'' Zubeda Bi says.

But none of the praise has gone to Fatima Bi's head. She still had a lot to do, she said, ``Many of our children have migrated to cities like Kurnool and Hyderabad. We want them back and should drive poverty away from the village.''

Perhaps the best tribute to the work done by Proddu comes from the opposite camp. Villager Ramaiah says their lives have``changed a lot during the last three years.''

``I admit,'' he said, ``that we harassed them in the beginning. Now, having realised their potential, we are extending all possible cooperation,'' he added.