The Women of WES

I am forever astounded by the women here is Western Equatoria State (WES). There is an incredible community of women within WES. No matter if I am in Nzara, Yambio, or another area altogether the women here continue to impress me. In honor of March and Women's Day approaching here are some of my thoughts on the women here.

While on the front of things it seems like men run things here it is very clear that women run many things from behind the scenes. Women make sure that the children are raised well, food is prepared, laundry done, homes made and maintained, and when needed or when they choose, they work as well.

Women run things and enable the men of this country to do what they choose to do. Maybe the women do not realize the power and potential they have in this. Many men, from what I see, rely on the women to meet their basic necessities. Perhaps if more of the women were able to band together, they would do more to improve the society here. I think if women understood just how much power and potential, they have South Sudan would be in a different place, a more positive place.

Okay so let's talk about some of the random observations I have made about the women here...

One of the first comes from when I was privileged enough to meet with one of the women's groups. These are formal groups run by different women in the community. They get together and each work on raising money for each other. The money they give to another woman in their group then is used by that woman to do things like start her own business so she can get funds for herself or her family.

The women's group also is a place where the women can talk and can share with each other. They provide support for each other. They also can teach each other new skills. The women's group is an incredible place and one where you can see the network and strength that the women have. They engage and participate with each other and support each other in ways that would make their lives significantly more challenging if they did not.

I really enjoyed my time with the women's group. While I don't think I should join the group while I am here, as I don't feel that would be beneficial, I do hope to work with them. I think I have already blogged about them and this idea a little but I truly think that the women's group is an amazing resource and has wonderful potential for so many different things here.

Many women here are mothers and housewives. I am sure this is not an easy job. As much as I thought I would want to do something like this when I was much younger, I can say I would not be happy doing that now. I am happy I have the option not to do that. Many women here are not given the option or opportunity to choose to do anything other than be a wife and mother. And there is so much work that goes along with the role wife and mother.

Those that do move beyond those roles also are inspiring. Even when a woman gets a job outside the home, she is still expected to maintain the traditional roles. This may be the case at times as well in the US but given the extra burdens here, like hand washing clothes and cooking over a fire, the role is even more demanding. So, women who take a job outside the home often shoulder the traditional role along with anything they do for work. How they find the time to do it all I do not know but that they are stressed and overworked I do not doubt.

One of the ways I see women juggle the role of wife, mother, and employee is when I am at the maternity clinic. Several of the women I work with there have young children, several under 1 years, and other's toddlers. It is not uncommon to see one of these women with their child in a wrap, tied to the mother, on her back, as she works. It was a bizarre sight when I was in with one of these women and she had her son on her back and she was busy delivering a baby. Ideally, having a small child in the clinic is not great but this is how women balance working and being mothers.

Even the women who come to deliver at the clinic or come in as patients, often bring their children in with them so that they can attempt to look after them, until a family or community member can help. The balancing act that exists as a woman and her various roles is amazing to watch. I am glad that I do not have this challenge. I do not think, at this point in my life, I could rise to the demands that these women face with the grace they do.

Speaking of maternity and the role as mother, I am impressed with all of my post-partum mothers that I work with. The women seem to bounce back from their deliveries quickly. After a woman delivers here it seems like she goes home within a day and then quickly returns to her "duties". I have watched women here cradle their newborns on the back of a motorcycle as they travel home, just hours after delivery (thankfully most women here sit side-saddle on the motorcycles so I hope their pain is less traveling this way, but still) (also, I am impressed when they can sit sideways on a motorcycle down these rough roads-no thank you).

There are several activities and actions that women take that I have observed that the women do that I think are absolutely incredible. The first is the women's ability to balance objects on their heads. I have long tried to learn how to balance things on my head and walk. I am not great at it. But here I watch women walk long distances with buckets full of rice or beans, on their heads.

They can carry so much this way, and they make it look so effortless while they gracefully transverse down the road. Sometimes they even have a child on their back and are leading another one by the hand. Young girls, and some boys, are taught how to carry things on their heads as well. It is always interesting to watch them walk, but their grace not as fluid as the older women.

Another thing that has been fascinating to watch is how the women do laundry here. Now this probably sounds weird, or you have started to picture women down at a river with a rock washing clothes. Nope. Not here. Sure maybe a few people wash clothes like that, but that is not what I am talking about. But the women do wash the clothes by hand and it takes skill and effort.

I have sat and watched and tried to learn how they wash the clothes and get them so clean and nice. I do not get it but I can tell you it certainly is a lot of work. I am grateful most of my wash is done for me here, as part of my arrangement at my compound. I wash just personal items so this is relatively easy, except my socks. I still have no clue how to get the socks clean. They are stained red and orange from the dirt.

I hope to pick up on the skills and have chatted with the women a little but watching them with their various buckets of water cleaning, wringing, soaking, and rinsing the clothing I remain in awe. I am lucky. And I am grateful to the women who I know was my clothes. After they are cleaned, they are then ironed, something I dislike even more than the washing part.

I don't often know how I can help support the women of WES. I know I want to do education and promote maternal and women's mental health, and by doing this I am supporting them some. Sometimes it does not feel like enough. There is only so much I can do. So, since I am limited, one of the ways I try and help is by buying mostly from the women at the market. The money may go back to a man, especially if they are married, but I hope by doing my best to support the women who are selling their good there that I am able to do something a little more for the women.

I continue to be impressed and I believe I will see and learn more from these women over the next few months, and I hope beyond. They are truly amazing and have so much potential to grow and improve this country. I look forwards to learning more from the women as I am here, and hope to help them a little along the way.