Starting from behind Scratch
Sr Mary Neylon
I first met Dominga 10 years ]ago after arriving in Huaycàn,a town of about 150,000 people on the eastern outskirts of Lima. Her open smile and gentle ways showed little of the pain she had experienced. But, in getting to know her, she let her story unfold.
One of a family of three, she was born in Ancash. At a young age her mother died and her father disappeared. Until the age of 13 she was brought up by an aunt and experienced the hardships of life - taking care of the animals and the crops - and without a chance of going to school. Still she was happy and loved the animals, birds and wildlife around her.
In the mid-70s, the level of poverty was high and survival in the provinces was becoming more difficult. Many couldn't meet their basic family needs, and so, with hope of a better life, they came to Lima.
She recalls leaving Ancash; her aunt was taking her to work in a poultry farm on the outskirts of Lima. She would earn little but it would be one mouth less to feed. Adapting to the way of life was traumatic - she felt different from the people around her. It was all strange and the poultry raising was unlike the free-range kind that she had known and loved.
Limited by language, education, geographical harriers and sexual discrimination, she found it difficult to make friends. She was a victim of sexual abuse and when she fell pregnant she was forced to leave.
After unsuccessfully trying a few places, she eventually arrived in Huaycán.
Here she joined thousands who had been displaced from their homes because of economic pressures and political violence.
Added to that, her son, Manolo, had severe physical and
mental health problems. How was she going to make a living in this dry, stony
desert? She tried a few different
activities, like selling sweets on the street, but met with lots of others
doing the same.
When the local mayor began promoting the raising of cuyes (guinea pigs), she decided to get some but, without the necessary skills and know-how the animals died. With a small donation I gave her she has turned to raising chickens... and proudly tells of her success: the first lot are ready for sale.
Dominga is one of the many trying to combat poverty and discrimination. It's estimated that over half of the Peruvian population currently live in poverty and survive on less than $2 a day. Within this group, women are disproportionately disadvantaged, and are more vulnerable to poverty and discrimination. Indigenous and peasant women tend to suffer the most social exclusion.
Conscious of this problem, I started "Warmi Huasi" (Women's House in the indigenous Quechua language) as a Centre for the personal development of women. We offer courses on arts and crafts - such as the making of candles, chocolates, handbags, Christmas cards, slippers, jewellery - in addition to reading and writing, self-esteem and empowerment.
Whilst being part of the educational and income-generating programmes, the women begin to form friendships and build trust amongst themselves; they gain confidence in promoting and trying to market their products; they invite others to join them. The pros and cons of Free Trade Agreements or the politics of a global economy may be hard for these women to understand, but they suffer the consequences. They know only too well that poverty and exploitation have many faces - the lack of adequate housing, clean water, good nutrition, health programmes, employment opportunities...
The Warmi Huasi Centre is trying to reach out to some of the uprooted, vulnerable women like Dominga and her friends, and to give them a hand in their efforts to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation.
Warmi Huasi is the name that was given to the women's centre in Huaycán, Peru which was opened by Sr Mary Neylon in 1997. In the ancient language of Peru (Quechua) ‘warmi' means woman and ‘huasi' means house. Its primary purpose is to improve women's self-esteem. Courses and workshops are offered in leadership, empowerment and cultural appreciation. In addition, the centre is open daily so that the women can drop in to sit for a while and chat or work on projects. The Centre has an outreach programme to the various zones of HUAYCAN through which women can develop their skills as well as work on the many aspects which affect their daily lives; eg. violence; denial and abuse of their basic human rights etc.
