Elsey Jacob from the Nava Joyothi Association, a member of the Fedina network, is still smiling as she gives a narration of the event that occurred in the summer of 2009. She recounts the story of a Dalit family that lived for many years in a small house on a piece of land in the village of Kulaseharam in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As their land was appropriated by high-caste villagers, legal proceedings had to be initiated. Ever since then, the high caste families “systematically dumped their wastes near the house”. When the rains started to seep in through the frail roof made of leaves, the Dalit family used sheets to stop the water from entering, “but the high-caste people tore them off.”

Nava Jyothi then gathered together inhabitants from the neighbouring village. Together, they decided to support the Dalit family: “A contest of wills thus began. No less than 40 women came to repair the roof. To prevent police violence, only women were present. When the police arrested two of the women who were working on repairing the roof, all the others showed up at the police station to claim that the same charges be brought against them as well. In the end the police decided not to pursue the matter. Since then, the Dalit family lives under a dry roof, protected by the female community who are ready to intervene whenever necessary.