but stories of exceptional women from India whom I've met.

我來這裡，要跟大家 分享的不僅是我的故事，

They continue to inspire me,

還有我遇見的幾位 不凡的印度女性的故事。

teach me, guide me in my journey of my life.

在我人生的道路上，

These are incredible women.

這些故事一直鼓舞我、 教導我、引導我。

They never had an opportunity to go to school,

這些女人相當了不起。

they had no degrees,

她們從來沒有機會上學，

no travel, no exposure.

她們沒有學位，

Ordinary women who did extraordinary things

沒有遊歷，沒有曝光。

with the greatest of their courage,

平凡的女人做出不凡的事，

wisdom and humility.

她們有最偉大的勇氣、

These are my teachers.

智慧，以及謙卑。

For the last three decades,

她們是我的老師。

I've been working, staying and living in India

在過去三十年，

and working with women in rural India.

我在印度工作、居留、生活，

I was born and brought up in Mumbai.

和印度農村的女性合作。

When I was in college,

我在孟買出生和長大。

I met Jayaprakash Narayan,

我讀大學時，

famous Gandhian leader

我遇到了賈雅普拉卡什納拉揚，

who inspired youth to work in rural India.

他是著名的甘地主義領袖，

I went into the villages to work in rural India.

他鼓勵年輕人在印度農村工作。

I was part of land rights movement,

為了在印度農村工作， 我進到村子裡。

farmers' movement

我參與了地權運動、

and women's movement.

農夫運動，

On the same line,

以及女性運動。

I ended up in a very small village,

我一直用這樣的方式，

fell in love with a young, handsome, dynamic young farmer-leader

最後到了一個非常小的村子，

who was not very educated,

愛上了一個年輕英俊

but he could pull the crowd.

且很有動能的年輕農夫領袖，

And so in the passion of youth,

他沒有受過多少教育，

I married him

但他能夠帶動群眾。

and left Mumbai,

出於年輕人的熱情，

and went to a small village which did not have running water

我嫁給他了，

and no toilet.

並離開了孟買，

Honestly, my family and friends were horrified.

到一個小村子去， 那裡沒有自來水，沒有廁所。

(Laughter)

老實說，我的家人 和朋友都嚇壞了。

I was staying with my family,

（笑聲）

with my three children in the village,

我和我的家人同住，

and one day,

我和三個孩子同住在村子裡。

a few years later one day,

有一天，

a woman called Kantabai came to me.

幾年後的某一天，

Kantabai said, "I want to open a saving account.

一名叫做坎塔貝的女子來找我，

I want to save."

坎塔貝說：「我想開個儲蓄帳戶。

I asked Kantabai:

我想要存錢。」

"You are doing business of blacksmith.

我問坎塔貝：

Do you have enough money to save?

「你在做鐵匠的工作。

You are staying on the street.

你有足夠的錢可以存嗎？

Can you save?"

你還住在街頭。

Kantabai was insistent.

你能存錢嗎？」

She said, "I want to save because I want to buy a plastic sheet

坎塔貝很堅持。

before the monsoons arrive.

她說：「我想要存錢，因為我想要

I want to save my family from rain."

在雨季來臨之前買一片塑膠板

I went with Kantabai to the bank.

為我的家人遮雨。」

Kantabai wanted to save 10 rupees a day --

我和坎塔貝一起去銀行。

less than 15 cents.

坎塔貝想要一天存十盧比，

Bank manager refused to open the account of Kantabai.

那還不到十五分錢。

He said Kantabai's amount is too small

銀行經理拒絕幫坎塔貝開帳戶。

and it's not worth his time.

他說坎塔貝的金額太小了，

Kantabai was not asking any loan from the bank.

不值得他花時間。

She was not asking any subsidy or grant from the government.

坎塔貝沒有向這間銀行要求貸款。

What she was asking was to have a safe place

她也沒有向政府要求任何補助金。

to save her hard-earned money.

她想要的只是一個安全的地方，

And that was her right.

讓她可以安心存放辛苦賺來的錢。

And I went --

那是她的權利。

I said if banks are not opening the account of Kantabai,

而我去——

why not start the bank

我說，如果銀行不為坎塔貝開戶，

which will give an opportunity for women like Kantabai to save?

那為什麼不開一間銀行，

And I applied for the banking license to Reserve Bank of India.

提供像坎塔貝這樣的女性 一個存錢的機會？

(Applause)

我向印度儲備銀行 申請了銀行業務執照。

No, it was not an easy task.

（掌聲）

Our license was rejected --

不，那並不是很簡單的事。

(Laughter)

我們的執照申請被拒絕了。

on the grounds --

（笑聲）

Reserve Bank said that we cannot issue a license

原因是，

to the bank who's promoting members who are nonliterate.

儲備銀行說，不能發執照給

I was terrified.

提倡的成員不識字的銀行。

I was crying.

我怔住了。

And by coming back home,

我哭了。

I was continuously crying.

回到家，

I told Kantabai and other women

我還不斷在哭。

that we couldn't get the license because our women are nonliterate.

我告訴坎塔貝和其他女性，

Our women said, "Stop crying.

我們無法取得執照， 因為我們的女性們不識字。

We will learn to read and write

我們的女性們說：「別哭了。

and apply again, so what?"

我們就來學讀和寫，

(Applause)

然後再申請一次，又怎樣？」

We started our literacy classes.

（掌聲）

Every day our women would come.

我們開始了識字課。

They were so determined that after working the whole day,

每天，我們的女性們都會來上課。

they would come to the class and learn to read and write.

她們非常堅決，工作了一整天之後，

After five months,

還會來上課，學習讀和寫。

we applied again,

五個月後，

but this time I didn't go alone.

我們再次申請，

Fifteen women accompanied me to Reserve Bank of India.

但這一次，我不是一個人去的。

Our women told the officer of Reserve Bank,

十五位女性陪我一起到 印度儲備銀行。

"You rejected the license because we cannot read and write.

我們的女性們告訴 儲備銀行的主管：

You rejected the license because we are nonliterate."

「你之前因為我們不能讀寫 而拒絕了執照申請。

But they said, "There were no schools when we were growing,

因為我們不識字而拒絕發照。」

so we are not responsible for our noneducation."

但她們說：「我們 成長的過程中沒有學校，

And they said, "We cannot read and write,

所以我們沒受教育 並不是我們的錯。」

but we can count."

她們說：「我們不能讀和寫，

(Laughter)

但我們會算。」

(Applause)

（笑聲）

And they challenged the officer.

（掌聲）

"Then tell us to calculate the interest of any principal amount."

她們挑戰那位主管。

(Laughter)

「那就叫我們計算 任何本金的利息。」

"If we are unable to do it,

（笑聲）

don't give us license.

「如果我們算不出來，

Tell your officers to do it without a calculator

就不要發執照給我們。

and see who can calculate faster."

叫你的職員不用計算機來算，

(Applause)

看誰算得比較快。」

Needless to say,

（掌聲）

we got the banking license.

不用說，

(Laughter)

我們得到銀行業務執照了。

(Applause)

（笑聲）

Today, more than 100,000 women are banking with us

（掌聲）

and we have more than 20 million dollars of capital.

現今，我們有超過十萬名女客戶，

This is all women's savings,

資本額超過兩千萬美元。

women capital,

通通都是女性的存款，

no outside investors asking for a business plan.

女性的資本，

No.

沒有外在的投資者 要求要提供事業計畫。

It's our own rural women's savings.

沒有。

(Applause)

這都是我們農村女性的存款。

I also want to say that yes,

（掌聲）

after we got the license,

我也想要說，是的，

today Kantabai has her own house

在我們取得執照之後，

and is staying with her family

坎塔貝現在已經有了自己的房子，

in her own house for herself and her family.

和她的家人住在一起，

(Applause)

她和家人住在自己的房子裡。

When we started our banking operations,

（掌聲）

I could see that our women were not able to come to the bank

當我們開始銀行的營運時，

because they used to lose the working day.

我發現我們的女性無法來銀行，

I thought if women are not coming to the bank,

因為這樣她們就會無法工作。

bank will go to them,

我心想，如果女性無法來銀行，

and we started doorstep banking.

那銀行就去找她們，

Recently, we starting digital banking.

我們就開始了家門銀行業務。

Digital banking required to remember a PIN number.

最近，我們開始了數位銀行業務。

Our women said, "We don't want a PIN number.

數位銀行業務需要記得 PIN 碼。

That's not a good idea."

我們的女性說： 「我們不想要 PIN 碼。

And we tried to explain to them

那不是個好點子。」

that maybe you should remember the PIN number;

我們試著向她們解釋

we will help you to remember the PIN number.

也許你們應該記住 PIN 碼；

They were firm.

我們會協助你們記住 PIN 碼。

They said, "suggest something else,"

她們很堅定。

and they --

她們說：「來點別的建議。」

(Laughter)

她們——

and they said, "What about thumb?"

（笑聲）

I thought that's a great idea.

她們說：「用拇指如何？」

We'll link that digital banking with biometric,

我認為那是個很棒的點子。

and now women use the digital financial transaction

我們把數位銀行業務 和生物測定學連結，

by using the thumb.

現在，女人只要用拇指

And you know what they said?

就可以進行數位財務交易。

They said, "Anybody can steal my PIN number

你們知道她們怎麼說嗎？

and take away my hard-earned money,

她們說：「任何人 都能偷走我的 PIN 碼，

but nobody can steal my thumb."

拿走我的血汗錢，

(Applause)

但沒有人能偷走我的拇指。」

That reinforced the teaching which I have always learned from women:

（掌聲）

never provide poor solutions to poor people.

那完全展現出了我從 女人身上所學到的事：

They are smart.

絕不要提供蹩腳的解決方案給窮人。

(Applause)

他們很聰明。

A few months later,

（掌聲）

another woman came to the bank --

幾個月之後，

Kerabai.

另一位女性來到銀行——

She mortgaged her gold and took the loan.

克拉拜。

I asked Kerabai, "Why are you mortgaging your precious jewelry

她抵押了她的金子，取得了貸款。

and taking a loan?"

我問克拉拜：「你為什麼 要把你寶貴的珠寶拿來抵押

Kerabai said, "Don't you realize that it's a terrible drought?

取得貸款？」

There's no food or fodder for the animals.

克拉拜說：「你不知道 旱災很嚴重嗎？

No water.

沒有食物或飼料可以給動物吃。

I'm mortgaging gold to buy food and fodder for my animals."

沒有水。

And then she asks me, "Can I mortgage gold and get water?"

我把金子拿來抵押，是為了 買食物和飼料給我的動物吃。」

I had no answer.

接著，她問我：「我能 把金子抵押換成水嗎？」

Kerabai challenged me: "You're working in the village

我沒有答案。

with women and finance,

克拉拜挑戰我：「你在村子裡做

but what if one day there's no water?

女性的財務工作，

If you leave this village,

但如果有一天，沒有水了呢？

with whom are you going to do banking?"

如果你離開這個村子，

Kerabai had a valid question,

你要跟誰做銀行生意？」

so in this drought,

克拉拜的問題是有根據的，

we decided to start the cattle camp in the area.

所以，在這場旱災時，

It's where farmers can bring their animals to one place

我們決定要在這個區域 開始一個牲口營。

and get fodder and water.

農場主可以把他們的動物 帶到這個地方，

It didn't rain.

取得飼料和水。

Cattle camp was extended for 18 months.

一直沒有下雨。

Kerabai used to move around in the cattle camp

牲口營延長到了十八個月。

and sing the songs of encouragement.

克拉拜那時會在牲口營中到處跑，

Kerabai became very popular.

唱一些鼓勵的歌曲。

It rained and cattle camp was ended,

克拉拜變得很有名。

but after cattle camp ended,

後來下雨了，牲口營就終止了，

Kerabai came to our radio --

但在牲口營終止後，

we have community radio

克拉拜來到我們的無線電台——

which has more than 100,000 listeners.

我們有社區無線電台，

She said, "I want to have a regular show on the radio."

有超過十萬名聽眾。

Our radio manager said, "Kerabai, you cannot read and write.

她說：「我想要在電台 有個固定的節目。」

How will you write the script?"

我們的電台經理說： 「克拉拜，你不會讀和寫。

You know what she replied?

你要如何寫劇本？」

"I cannot read and write,

你們知道她怎麼回嗎？

but I can sing.

「我不會讀和寫，

What's the big deal?"

但我會唱。

(Laughter)

有什麼大不了的？」

And today,

（笑聲）

Kerabai is doing a regular radio program,

現今，

and not only that,

克拉拜有一個固定的 無線電台節目，

she's become a famous radio jockey

不只如此，

and she has been invited by all of the radios,

她還成了有名的電台 DJ，

even from Mumbai.

各個電台都想邀請她，

She gets the invitation and she does the show.

包括孟買的電台。

(Applause)

她受到邀請，她就去做節目。

Kerabai has become a local celebrity.

（掌聲）

One day I asked Kerabai,

克拉拜變成了當地的名人。

"How did you end up singing?"

有一天，我問克拉拜：

She said, "Shall I tell you the real fact?

「你為什麼最後會選擇唱歌？」

When I was pregnant with my first child,

她說：「我該告訴你真相嗎？

I was always hungry.

當我懷了第一個孩子時，

I did not have enough food to eat.

我總是很飢餓。

I did not have enough money to buy food,

我沒有足夠的食物可以吃。

and so to forget my hunger, I started singing."

我沒有足夠的錢可以買食物，

So strong and wise, no?

所以，為了忘卻飢餓， 我開始唱歌。」

I always think that our women overcome so many obstacles --

很堅強也很睿智，對吧？

cultural, social, financial --

我總是認為我們的女性 克服了許多障礙——

and they find out their ways.

文化的、社會的、財務的——

I would like to share another story:

她們找到自己的路。

Sunita Kamble.

我還想要分享另一個故事：

She has taken a course in a business school,

蘇妮塔坎布里。

and she has become a veterinary doctor.

她在商業學校上課，

She's Dalit;

她變成了獸醫。

she comes from an untouchable caste,

她是賤民；

but she does artificial insemination in goats.

她來自最低的階層，

It is a very male-dominated profession

但她做羊的人工授精。

and it is all the more difficult for Sunita

那是個非常男性主導的職業，

because Sunita comes from an untouchable caste.

且對蘇妮塔來說更是困難，

But she worked very hard.

因為蘇妮塔來自最低的階層。

She did successful goat deliveries in the region

但她非常努力。

and she became a famous goat doctor.

她在那個地區讓小羊成功出生，

Recently, she got a national award.

且她變成了有名的羊醫生。

I went to Sunita's house to celebrate --

最近，她得到了一個國家獎項，

to congratulate her.

我到蘇妮塔的家中慶祝——

When I entered the village,

去恭喜她。

I saw a big cutout of Sunita.

當我進入村子時，

Sunita was smiling on that picture.

我看到蘇妮塔的大型看板圖片。

I was really surprised to see an untouchable,

圖片中的蘇妮塔在微笑。

coming from the village,

我真的感到很意外，一個賤民，

having a big cutout at the entrance of the village.

來自村子，

When I went to her house,

她的大型看板圖片 就放在村子的入口。

I was even more amazed

當我到了她家時，

because upper caste leaders --

還有更讓我驚奇的，

men -- were sitting in the house, in her house,

因為上層階級的領導人——

and having chai and water,

男人——就坐在房子裡， 她的房子裡，

which is very rare in India.

喝印度奶茶和水，

Upper caste leaders do not go to an untouchable's house

這在印度是非常罕見的。

and have chai or water.

上層階級的領導人 不會去賤民的房子

And they were requesting her

喝印度奶茶和水。

to come and address the gathering of the village.

他們希望她能

Sunita broke centuries-old caste conditioning in India.

參與村子的聚會並在聚會上演說。

(Applause)

蘇妮塔打破了印度有 數世紀歷史的階級條件。

Let me come to what the younger generations do.

（掌聲）

As I'm standing here --

讓我來談談年輕世代會做什麼。

I'm so proud as I stand here,

我站在這裡——

from Mhaswad to Vancouver.

我很驕傲我能站在這裡，

Back home, Sarita Bhise --

從姆哈斯瓦德到溫哥華。

she's not even 16 years old.

在家鄉，薩莉塔貝賽——