Empowering the bereft

By Smriti Daniel

“Forty-seven-year old Sakeen Umma lives in Addalaichennai with her family of seven. She struggles to bring up her children on the income she earns by selling hoppers.” “Sithy Beebi is 65 years old and lives in a thatched hut with her grandchild. The child’s parents were killed in the tsunami. Prior to the accident her son was a fisherman and earned enough to feed the whole family. Now that he is gone the old woman does odd jobs for her daily bread. The child is unable to go to school. Sithy Beebi weaves mats and appeals for financial support for this venture.”

Jezima Ismail

In a new book, titled The Bereft Women of the East, The Muslim Women’s Research and Action Forum (MWRAF) reveals the simple yet extraordinary role micro enterprises can play in empowering women facing difficult circumstances.“The situation is quite complex there,” says Jezima Ismail, President of the Forum, speaking of the many families living in the eastern parts of the island. The destruction wrought by the tsunami competes with the devastation caused by a two decade old conflict and both are only exacerbated by the extreme poverty of some of these women, she explains.

Ironically, the same tsunami led to a flood of funding, and the chance to resurrect their lives, says Mrs. Ismail, adding “but they aren’t able to do it by themselves, they need help.” Determined to empower as many of these women as possible, and create ways for them to help themselves, the MWRAF selected 75 women from a survey of over 300 women conducted over 51 villages. Information, including household data, was gathered on the 75 case studies. Frequent visits, contact and interaction, have allowed MWRAF to really understand the minutiae of these women’s lives, says Mrs. Ismail, “They perform simple tasks, do small jobs to earn a living: de-husking rice, pounding flour, weaving mats, pasting bags, sewing clothes, making food, and rearing poultry,” she says, pointing out that what they are all desperately in need of is funding for these very micro enterprises.

The MWRAF will channel the funds collected from the sales of the new book, and other fundraising events into supporting these women in simple yet crucial ways. “For example, one woman makes string hoppers, but she only has one pan and one bowl to mix her string hoppers in – we’ll give her another set,” says Mrs. Ismail, going on to cite another case in which a local grocery store could be expanded with the addition of a few shelves and the introduction of more produce. In this way the MWRAF hopes to give each woman’s enterprise a firm boost.

Sakeen Umma: struggles to bring up her children on the income she earns by selling hoppers

A key part of the MWRAF’s scheme is their training programme. About 120 trainers are out in the field working with the women, says Mrs. Ismail, explaining that maintaining personal hygiene while handling edible produce and proper packaging are among the points the group emphasizes.

Hopefully, this will result in more professional work from the women becoming suitable for larger markets. MWRAF has also set up a system of women’s centres that offer counselling and programmes for economic empowerment, says Mrs. Ismail.

In the end, Mrs. Ismail’s ambitions, like those of the women, are simple. “I only want a room above their heads, three meals a day, and for them to be able to send their children to school,” she says. Of course, all of this must necessarily follow their own economic liberation. She expresses her belief more financial stability will ease their burdens and that the happiness that comes of it will beget courage. “Happiness will give them an armour to face whatever may come,” she says. The Bereft Women of the East is on sale for Rs. 1000 at 73/19E, Kirulapone Avenue, Colombo 5.