In various sectors of the society, community women were dependent on their family members for monetary aid owing to several reasons. However, it was difficult for married women to raise their voice in the family or in front of their husbands as they did not have the financial means to feed their families and themselves.
But it is not like that several married, unmarried, widowed, and separated women set out towards a mission to live on their own by doing jobs whatever they easily earn in the community.
Similarly, college going girls including dropped out schools, colleges girls teach tiny tots at their respective homes and at the institutes to raise fund to meet their educational needs.
“I want to be a lecturer in future but financial problem has been a matter of concern. That’s why I teach tiny tots at home or at the Madrasa. Whatever, I earn that is spent on my educational and personal expenses,’ said Asra, Maimuna, Raqiba, Inter Ist year girl students, learning and earning to be independent.
A mother of two children finds no shoulder to cry on after her family and husband’s demise last year. She also set out to overcome financial problems by teaching in a private school.
“My life has completely come to a halt after my family members including my husband’s demise. The tragedy stuck thrice in just span of six months. I had no option and no question arose in my mind, what to do? How to live? and mounting financial burden as if it had caused to add to my sufferings. So, I stepped out to earn and survive by teaching in a school near my home,” narrated Farheen Begum.
Jameela Nishat, president, Shaheen women’s Resources and Welfare Association said that women were being faced with a lot of challenges at home, in society, and across communities.
“Our staff goes door-to-door talks to women and create awareness. More than one thousand single women in our community who are living on their own. whatever they can make easily and whatever they can earn easily, they are earning and surviving not with one child but at least five children. So they look after those five children and themselves as well. Some of them are deserted women, some of them are women whose husbands have gone abroad and never came back and it is a convoy to take them all along with,’’ said Jameela Nishat, president, Shaheen Women’s Resource and Welfare Association.
“When I asked a girl ‘Who are you? She had replied, “I am nobody,’ the journey of Shaheen starts with nobody and these nobody have started becoming somebody and they started on their own,” she further added.
Tailoring, Mehndi Designing, Computer, Teaching, Beautician work became a source of income to live on for many single women in old city of Hyderabad.
Another woman Sultana, narrated her ordeals that she had to face a lot of challenges in her life, whose husband had cut her upper lip and nose over monetary matters. Sultana had gone into a coma for over 21 days and then she was being denied by community people.
“My job is to create awareness among community women, girls about their rights. With this, I am not only became economically empowered but also mentally became stronger that whatever happened to me that should not be repeated with anybody that confidence arose in me. I have been able to earn money and then I also completed my B.A from distance which was discontinued after my marriage. Now, I have been able to make my own decision and now live in my community alone. At times, I could not even step out from home, but life has completely changed and I live in a peaceful manner. I have decided to bring changes in other community girls as well,’’ said Sultana, from Talabkatta in the old city of Hyderabad.
Another woman Irfana, from Aman Nagar, who was divorced by her husband almost 10 years ago and now she works as a beautician for survival.
“After my marriage, I was mentally harassed by my in-laws. I was even termed mentally unstable by my husband due to this, I was divorced. Afterward, I went to Dubai as a beautician where I was cheated by the agent. After all, I came out and joined the NGO to learn and earn. I have settled down and live peacefully. I was made aware about my rights and earning to live independently without fear and favor,” said, Irfana.
