OBSERVATIONS

I, Mayuri, was born and brought up in Kenya and have for the past 35 years lived and worked in various countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Through my travels and work in Asia and Africa, I have had the opportunity to meet women (girls are included in this reference) from all walks of life. However, what is most noticeable in these developing nations are the “wasted” skills of economically disadvantaged women, who haven’t had the opportunity to “develop” themselves or realize their potential. Women, especially in rural areas, who didn’t have the opportunity to attend school or continue with their education, either because their parents couldn’t afford the cost of schooling or they gave preference to their male offspring.

Over the years, what I have been noticing through our work with:

Asia Initiatives (www.asiainitiatives.org), where we started initially started with microcredit and self-help groups for women and are now implementing the social capital credit concept (SoCCs),
Digital Africa (www.digitalafrica.com.ng), where we are trying to promote ICT literacy and awareness amongst others,
ETOSE (www.etose-tourism.org), where through our travels we have had a lot of social contact with women in rural communities amongst others, and
Zuri Kenya (www.zuri-initiative.com), where we have women selling hair-care products to supplement their incomes, is that women, even those who are economically disadvantaged and often illiterate, still have some form of skills and something to contribute to their well-being and society. Very often, women just haven’t had the opportunity to develop themselves and improve their (economic) situation. With a little bit of encouragement and support, these “disadvantaged” women are able to make great steps in their lives. I have seen a 60 year old who learnt how to read and write in less than a year; a 16-year-old girl, with only 2-3 years of primary schooling, become fluent in Microsoft applications in just under a year; and a group of illiterate women starting their own recycling business after just two years of training and support. There are many such success stories I know of.

What I have learnt over the years through my work and travels in developing nations is that women are:

Very hard-working (maybe because of their socioeconomic conditions)
Not “stupid”; they just haven’t had the opportunity to shine
Keen and quick learners, given the right conditions
Willing to work with other women in similar situations as theirs
Ready and willing to improve their socioeconomic conditions
Keen on improving their literacy levels
Keen on looking for ways to improve their financial situation
Interested in starting a small business to supplement their incomes
Keen on investing their extra income in their children’s education, including that of a girl child, amongst others.

I hope that with support from FrauenPower e.V., we will be able to empower women in improving their socioeconomic conditions by providing them with education and training, support with starting small sustainable businesses, and providing healthcare amongst others. I hope that through my work and travels, I will be able to visit (at my own cost) most of the projects FrauenPower e.V. supports.

The success of such a charity is, however, a joint effort from all its members, as well as those interested in our work. We are therefore open to any suggestions or ideas to improve our work, to help raise funds, to help identify possible projects that need assistance, and most importantly, to help us make a difference to girls and women’s lives.

Best regards,

Mayuri