Women For Women International

”Women Survivors”
By Shannon Teoh

Bosnian women, who are still fighting for a decent life, are now being given a helping hand by an NGO worker who helps to retrain them with newer marketable skills.

It's amazing how our memory fails us. Malaysians today are busy bemoaning the plight of Afghan and Iraqi civilians alike, collateral damage in the "war on terrorism". Our hearts, thoughts and money go to NGOs who do good work in these places, helping rebuild lives that were torn apart.

Flashback 10 years and you find the same situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Does anyone still remember? Apparently, Soroptimist International (SI) does. This organisation for women and human rights, launched Project Independence: Women Survivors of War, last year. The project is an initiative to support women's transition into permanent self-sufficiency in places like Bosnia, Afghanistan and Rwanda.

Dr Indrani Manuel, programme director for Federation of SI South West Pacific, which is made up of 12 countries, was one of those who went to Bosnia from Sept 7 to 16. "When I first signed up for the trip, my friends thought I was out of my mind. Why Bosnia, they'd ask? I figured if SI thought it was safe enough for a bunch of women to go, then I'd go."

So it was that Indrani was among those who saw firsthand the plight of Bosnian women - regardless of ethnicity - who, 12 years after the civil war in the then Yugoslavia, are still fighting for a decent life. "It's not that these women have no skills or education. After the war, whole industries disappeared, leaving these women jobless."

In fact, many have been displaced from their homes as land mines still litter many areas. Furthermore, the scars from being raped and trafficked during the war still weighs upon these women. "Project Independence is all about retraining these women with newer
marketable skills and teaching them about their rights."

The women are taught traditional skills such as carpet weaving and embroidery along with non-traditional skills such as shoe repair and carpentry. "Many of these women have lost husbands and sons during the war. They have no choice but to learn these skills and put them to use," explained Indrani.

But the real helping hand comes in the form of the microcredit programme. Under the programme, women are given small loans to invest in businesses. Indrani recalls a woman named Senida, who bought a cow with her loan and earns a living from dairy products. "She told us how while she was milking her cow that morning, she was wondering what to wear and what to say to us when we met."

Senida is one of the many women who held professional positions before the war but is now grateful for the microcredit loan. Selling cheese from the back of a car, sweets in a school and seeds from a small farm are examples of the initiatives that other women have undertaken.

Indrani, a former headmistress of Convent Bukit Nanas, KL, believes that women need to make it a point to help other women. "Of course donations help. But many women need emotional support as well. I feel privileged to have been able to spend time with some of
them."

Those who wish to donate to Project Independence can send them to Soroptimist Damansara, 1, Jalan Orkid, Mines Resort City, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor. Make the cheque out to "Soroptimist International Club of Damansara".