Womenoften bear the brunt of war, poverty and disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Whetherit be brutal rapes in Darfur and eastern Congo or the toll taken by HIV/AIDS,women often receive little help dealing with the consequences. But the NGO Womenfor Women says it's working to rebuild lives to help women regain theirstrength and stature in society.
In2005, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in Sudan, ending the longcivil war between north and south. But four years later, many have yet to reapthe peace dividends, as fighting among militias continues and tensions simmeragain between Khartoum and Juba.
KarakMayik, country director in Sudan for the group Women for Women, says women facemany war-related and other obstacles.
"Thewar destroyed everything. There is lack of infrastructure. No development. Nobasic needs for human beings, especially women. And also, after the peaceagreement, women are facing another war, which is the culture. They can't ownland. They can't do some other major activities for themselves," she says.
Shesays that until the entire country is at peace, it will be difficult to helpall those in need.
"Ifthere is a wound in one of your body parts, you cannot feel peaceful and youcannot feel well. So, the war in Darfur is challenging us. The war in Abyei ischallenging us. The peace agreement is a challenge to be implemented.
Abyeiis a town in South Kurdufan, linking north and south Sudan. It's the site ofmuch of the country's oil production and the cause of much tension. A 2011referendum may determine whether Abyei belongs to the north or south.
Tohelp deal with poverty and lack of development, Women for Women has obtainedland for farming in the town of Rumbek.
"Lastyear, we got 90 hectares of land from the community leaders. They give it touse forever, 99 years, and we call it CIFI ? Commercial Integrated farmingInitiative. It is an agro-business for the women. Women are cultivating morethan 21 types of vegetables," she says.
Manycommunities and businesses now depend on produce from the farm. And Mayik saysthat income from the farm has changed women's lives.
"Theybenefit from the farm in many ways. First, for themselves. They say we'relooking smart now. We've changed our lifestyles. They are sending their kids tothe schools, to the hospitals," Mayik says.
Inthe beginning, men were opposed to women starting their own business, saying itwent against the culture. Now that they've seen the benefits, they support it,even to the extent they make sure their wives wake up in time to get to work.
It'snot only in countries affected by war that Women for Women has projects. NgoziUchenna Eze is the group's country director in Nigeria, working mainly in Enuguand Plateau States.
Thepeople we work with are usually the very socially excluded. I mean the veryvulnerable groups, very poor women. The majority of our program participantsare illiterates. They don't have access to credit. Sometimes it's difficult forthem to get legal justice. We also have the issue of health ? lack of healthfacilities in the rural communities. It impacts a lot on the reproductivehealth rights of the women," she says.
Ezesays illiteracy makes it difficult for women keep business records.
"Forinstance, we encourage our women to form cooperatives and they have to keeprecords of their accounts of their sales. So, you know, it's very difficultbecause they do not have numerical skills," she says.
However,Women for Women education programs open the door to starting a business.
Ezesays, "We encourage the illiterate women to come to the banks to open bankaccounts. Initially, they said, no, we are scared of coming to town. That isonly the wealthy ones that have bank accounts. But I'm happy to say now that theyoperate bank accounts and they come to the bank to withdraw, to deposit money.And people are wondering where these women are coming from and they say theWomen for Women group."
Someof those women going to the bank deposit money earned through their business enterprisein Ekoliokpanku in Enugu State.
"Iwould say one of the success stories ? 640 women used the sponsorship funds tostart a mini rice mill and factory in their community. They see it as a way ofincreasing their income generating capacity," she says.
Earningmoney enables women to travel to health clinics, enroll their children inschool, buy food and pay their debts. Ezesays, "It also gives them confidence. Increases their self-esteem. And they nowknow they are worthwhile human beings and they can also participate in thedecision-making processes in their community."