The Value of a Woman
Women and girls are not thought highly of in India. To have a baby girl is a source of disappointment in this country, because girls cost more in the parent’s eyes. Boys will get married and bring his wife into the family along with the dowry her family gives. She can help provide for her husband’s family, as well as help with household tasks. On the other hand, girls get married and leave their household. The parents see the money they have spent on her during her life as a waste. The girl’s family also has to provide a dowry when she marries, which means more money spent.
Rescue Pink
India’s view of woman has a detrimental effect on them. I have seen this effect through interviews we have done for Rescue Pink. Rescue Pink has a Women’s Entrepreneurship Program for women in this community and near-by villages who have at least one daughter. The organization gives each woman in the program a loan to start her own business, which could be anything from tailoring to selling buffalo milk to selling goats to anything in between. RP then teaches classes once a month about running a business, the importance of saving money, communication with customers, etc.
Before and After
Before having her own business, the woman had to ask her husband for everything for herself and her children. Some women were abused by their husbands verbally or physically for not having a job, especially when financial struggles were present in the household. Many women had no idea how to set and reach a goal. Many women didn’t feel they had any value. After starting a business, the woman brings in money so she is able to provide some for herself and for her entire family. She can buy small things without asking her husband for money. Many families have been able to start sending their kids to private school where they can receive a better education. When asked how owning a business made them feel, most women said they were happy and proud of themselves. “I can maintain my family. I can take care of my family. Even if my husband doesn’t work, I can financially support my family,” said one woman. Many women said they wanted to teach their children how to overcome struggles and stand on their own two feet. One woman, when asked this question, said she wanted her daughter to know that women can do anything. One woman said she wanted India to get to a place where all women were able to work outside the home instead of just being a housewife because that is what is expected of her. Owning a business has given these women a way to interact with people in the community. It has given them more financial security. It has increased their confidence in themselves and given them more courage and boldness.
Our Identity and Worth
I am not saying that these women should find their identity in a business or making money or anything like that. Our identity and worth should only come from God. But, I have seen firsthand how running a business and providing for their families has caused a shift in how these women view themselves, and that is a step in the right direction. If they view themselves in a positively, despite what society tells them, they can in turn teach their daughters to have a positive self-view as well. Over time, this will hopefully create a change in how India’s entire population views women.
