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Momodou
Denmark
11829 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Nov 2009 : 18:14:09
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THE VOICE OF THE RURAL WOMEN
By Abdoulie G. Dibba
“Women empowerment is meaningless unless we are liberated from the pestle and the mortar.” Ya Amie Ceeesay
The Gambia is preparing to host the Beijing +15 Conference. This reporter undertook an assignment to speak to rural women regarding their way of life.
Talking to this reporter, Yaa Amie Ceesay opened the palms of her hand to show it to this reporter. After a critical examination of the palms by this reporter, Yaa Amie asserted that they wake up as early as 5am in the morning, and the hosts that welcome them, at the early hours of the morning are the pestle and mortar. According to her they use to pound the coos to remove the chaff. They would then wash the grains, give time for the coos to dry up so that they can pound it into powder. Yaa Amie added that while they are waiting for the coos to dry up, their next host is the well. She pointed that they would queue at the well for hours to secure 6o to 80 litres of water for their domestic use and then turn to the coos again. Yaa Amie indicated that the pounding of the coos in the morning go hand in hand with the preparation of the breakfast if they are in the dry season. However, during the rainy season, the preparation of breakfast goes hand and hand with the preparation of launch since they are compelled to spend the whole day at their rice fields. Once the crops are ready for harvest they would prepare breakfast, finish their pounding and then go to the farm to pick groundnut. At around one o’clock in afternoon they would return from the farm to prepare lunch. After lunch Yaa Amie said, they would again proceed to pound the coos to separate the grains from the chaff. They would then return to the well to fetch 40 litres of water to help the children to take bath, prepare the dinner and take bath.
Yaa Amie pointed out that when the farm work is ready and they complete the harvesting of their rice, they would turn to horticultural activities which she said is full of difficulties and hardship that amount to nothing. Dilating on the difficulties on horticulture, Yaa Amie pointed out they lack of proper fencing materials due to high cost which is unaffordable. They also lack boreholes for easy access to water for the watering of their crops. The problem of fencing is further compounded by the staying of animals, mostly cattle, into their gardens which lead to the destruction of their vegetables before they are ripe. Just as they use crude tools for their rice fields, they also use crude tools for their horticultural activities. Yaa Amie concluded by calling on government to help them with labour saving devices, horticultural facilities like inputs, implement, proper fences, storage and marketing outlets. These she said, will go along to ease their hardship and ensure their economic empowerment. The same views were expressed by many women during my tour of the countryside.
Editorial Comment
As the country hosts Beijing + 15 many women in the rural areas are calling on government to help them with horticultural inputs and implements and labour saving devices if women economic empowerment is to be a reality for them. Women, who spoke to the Foroyaa reporter, during a tour of the country side this month, asserted that women empowerment will be meaningless to them as long as they use crude tools to work on their horticultural farms only to have them destroyed by animals before their harvest. The women emphasised that women empowerment will only be a reality at the country side when the pestle and mortar is eradicated in the processing of the coos and rice for their daily meals. The women asserted that the pounding with pestle and mortar and the drawing of water for their domestic and horticultural activities are the greatest obstacle to their empowerment. It is very clear form the narration that the amount of labour employed on such activities narrow their opportunity to engage in other civic, social, political, economic and cultural activities which should lead to their holistic empowerment. The women leaders should reflect on the plight of such women as they participate in the Beijing +15 Conference.
Source: Foroyaa Online
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