Tag

Strong women

Cambodia Femmes des rizières
January 9, 2019

Volunteering in Cambodia for Femmes des Rizières – a very personal report by Gabrielle Friedmann

A history about fashion…
A history about humanitarian and humanity…
A history about loving and sharing
Briefly: A wonderful history

 

Today my five months volunteering as the first designer for the brand «Femmes des Rizières» (Woment from the paddy fields) come to an end. «Femmes des Rizières» is the brainchild of the Cambodian NGO avec in close collaboration with Swiss based WeCare-Association.

Early in July 2018 I left Paris to travel to Cambodia. Already before this adventure began I was full of ideas and thoughts, I dreamed about it and I tried to imagine how it would be ….as I am a naturally optimistic person, my head was full of idylic images which even to me did not seem very realistic. Never in my wildest dreams could I have envisioned how extraordinary and exciting this mission was going to be.

 

Upon arrival at the Safe House of the NGO avec in Cambodia I found myself in the middle of a small paradise which has become home to 34 children and 3 substitution mothers over the course of the last 10 years. A safe heaven for these children who had to live through dangerous situations, injustices and fear in their earlier lives.

Between myself and the children things clicked immediately and the five months were filled with lots of fun and laughter and many very spicy dishes were shared as well – which occasionally were a huge challenge for me.

The close contact to these kids taught me that there is something that cannot be taken away even from poor people and that is joy. Joyfulness cannot be bought and you cannot loose it either. It might get out of sight occasionally but is always lingering somewhere close, somewhere inside the person.

Moreover, I am convinced that one of the main reasons for the SAFE House of the NGO avec being such a magic place is that upon arrival you perceive above all this joyfulness.

Then. My adventure as woman from the paddy fields…

In the beginning there were the tailors, the name of the brand, the logo and more goodwill than I had every seen before.

The tailors, who above and foremost are women from the paddy fields, have an incredible power and inspiring force. They are young, beautiful and often have at least two young children and they are fighting like lionesses about their survival now and never loose their smile when thinking about tomorrow.

Together we have developed a collection of a total of 27 models with 2 or 3 color variations for each model. An incredible achievement ! Every time I think about this collection I am overwhelmed by joy.

I would like to tell my former colleagues: Women from the paddy fields, you are beautiful and like Apsaras, those goddesses of feminity with their incredible force and their glow. I would like to thank you four for these five intense months: We have been working a lot but we also had a lot of fun and I just loved it !

Of course I hope, that this project will be successful and able to achieve its goal to provide young Khmer women with a work that is fairly remunerated and they can rely on. Those women really deserve it !

In particular, I would like to mention Susi (WeCare-Association), Theavy and Patrik (NGO AVEC), the three guardian angels of the project who were closely accompanying the mission and all people involved – and there were a lot of people ! Without the three of you the mission would not have been as extraordinary! You are witty, openminded, patient and interesting – I have to stop here as Patrik has told me often that too many compliments are boring😉. I consider myself very lucky having met the three of you and above all that I have been given the opportunity to participate in the development of this project.

Last but not least I would like to thank all those wonderful people I met over the last five months. I am leaving very proud of all our joint efforts and achievements. It was a wonderful story and I am completely overwhelmed.

Africa Health Kenya
May 31, 2018

Female Genital Mutilation from a gynecologist’s perspective

As gynecologist with own office I am regularly if not very often confronted with this practice. Due to immigration from countries practicing FGM we see this phenomenon increasingly also in European countries.
It is important to be sensitized to this topic and to know more about it to treat affected women adequately and to prevent further damage caused by lack of experience, repudiation and judgment of FGM.

Here is some important background information:

FGM (or female circumcision as described by some authors) comprises the partial or total removal or other injury to the external female genitalia executed for cultural or other, non-medical purposes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide at least 200 million women are affected by FGM. The annual number of new cases amounts to two million – most of them being infants, toddlers and young girls.

History

Even though often religious motifs are used to justify the practice, no religion explicitly demands FGM. The practice is older than Christianity and Islam. In the areas concerned Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, animists and atheists practice FGM.

Social and cultural reasons do have an important imfluence :

  • Tradition, rite of passage
  • Purity requirements
  • Aesthetic reasons
  • Preservation of virginity
  • Assure  fidelity in married women
  • Increase in fertility
  • Group membership

These are just a few examples, the list could be extended indefinitely.

Geography

FGM is practiced predominantly in 28 African countries south of the Sahara and more rarely in some Asian regions. Egypt is the only north-African country where the practice is used.

Types of FGM

There are four types of FGM

Type 1 Sunna circumcision – removal of prepuce and partial or total removal of the clitoris.
Type 2 Removal of the clitoris plus part or all of the labia minora.
Type 3 Infibulation – removal of part or all of the labia minora, with the labia majora sewn together, covering the uretha and vagina and leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual fluid. The scar has to be opened for sexual intercourse and birth which provokes additional pain. This is the worst type of FGM.
Type 4 All other procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes including pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization.

The majority of all (80%) comprise types 1 and 2. Infibulation represents 15% of all cases.

Procedure of FGM

Generally the procedures are performed by traditional circumcisers. In most cases the intervention takes place without anaesthesia and non-sterile devices. Devices include knives, scissors, razors, glass and scalpels.
In 70% of the cases FMG is undertaken during childhood. In some regions it is done shortly after birth, in others prior to a wedding or during puberty .

Consequences of FGM

FGM harms women’s physical and emotional health dramatically. Immediately after the FGM the complications can be hemorrhages, inflammations, tetanus, bladder paralysis or septicemia, which frequently are fatal. The use of non-steril devices can also provoke an infection with the HIV virus.

In the long term victims often complain of pain while urinating or during period. Infections of the bladder and incontinence may occur as well as pain during sexual intercourse and infertility.

Interestingly, affected women very often do not realize that these complications are consequences of the FGM. Usually the FGM is an event far in the past and they share these problems with most of the women around them («The typical life of a woman»).

Women concerned who live in the West very often are struggling more with the psychological problems and FGM can provoke severe psychological trauma. Very often it is perceived as a breach of confidentiality of their parents and grandparents. Anxiety, depression, couple problems or psychosis may be the results.

Legal situation

FGM is considered an aggravated assault which represents a punishable act in Switzerland . This applies also when the procedure is executed according to the patient’s desire.

Finally, I would like to emphasize the necessity to also take into account the legal, cultural and ethical problems as well as the medical ones when dealing with women affected by FGM. When confronted with the consequences of a tradition which most of us condemn vehemently, we may show reactions that are humiliating the women even more. Consequently, the topic has to be addressed with the utmost sensibility – even though it has to be addressed – because we have to protect their daughters from having to go through the same ordeal.

 

Dr. med. Elisabeth Lebeda
FMH Gynäkologie und Geburtshilfe
Dorfstrasse 5
8700 Küsnacht

Cambodia International Women's Day Safe House
March 8, 2018

Interview with Theavy Bun

Theay Bun is 35 years old and was born in Battambang, Cambodia, in 1982 and managest he Safe House in Battambang financed by the NGO AVEC. Since 2004 Theavy has been doing humanitarian work. She is a very special woman and with her potrait today,  the International Women’s Day 2018, we would like to start a series of interviews with strong women. Aside from MeToo and other appeals for solidarity, it is these strong women who do make a difference in this world – for women and men! We feel honored that Theavy agreed spontanously and on very short-notice to answer our questions for the following interview:

How do you remember your school days ?

I started school immediately in the aftermath of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and during my first three years of school the city was still being bombed by them. Stemming from a very pool family who had suffered during the war, school was extremely important to me and I was a very diligent and motivated student. I had to wear the same school uniform for four years and zipper it lacked made me feel embarrassed every day at school. Immediately after finishing school, I started working to help my parents and to build a future for myself.

Why did you choose a career in charity?

I have always been in contact with extremely poverty stricken families who were fighting for survival in a very difficult environment immediately after the genicode by the Khmer Rouge regime. Already then deep inside of me I felt the desire to help these widowed or abandoned women who struggled daily to feed their numerous children. Already at a young age, I realized that poverty can only be fought by education and access to schools.

What was your dream job as a child?

I wanted to become a doctor in order to take care of my parents.

How many children do you take care of ?

In a certain sense I am the mother of 38 children who live permanently in the Safe House. The youngest child is three years old and the oldest is already 24 years old. This is also the reason why I hardly ever take some time off and my private life is very limited. Luckily enough I share this enormous responsibility with my husband. We are happy being able to offer these abused children a safe haven. We are aware of the fact that we are very demanding «parents» but their future is important to us and most of them are diligent and motivated students.
I am also in charge of the schooling of approximately 70 children coming from a very poor background with mostly illiterate parents. We take care of the schooling for these children to provide them with the best education possible.
Another 20 children living with a family member in various villages are also supported by us to enable them to pursue a higher education.
Last but not least, there are another 10 young women living in the Safe House and doing their tailor apprenticeship for a year.

A typical day in your life?

Every day I arrive at 08 :00 am at the Safe House where I spend the whole day until 08:00 pm – seven days a week. I manage the Safe House and take care of the youngest kids living in the Safe House. I eat all the meals together with the kids as it is important to spend time together and it is also a possibility to have a chat with the older children – these are very beautiful bonding moments!

Your biggest professional achievement?

I am quite humble when it comes to naming achievements – dealing with and educating so many children with traumatic experiences always has its setbacks. We constantly have to work with them to help them to overcome injuries they suffered in the past. What comes to my mind first is that I succeeded in saving a baby and her older sister from the hell where they used to live in and to work with them on a daily basis sothat they can come to terms with their trauma. Most important is that they have rediscovered their smiles.

Your biggest challenge?

Changing the mentality of children who are not motivated and who do not want to make an effort to create a better future for themselves. And of course, to help those abused girls to recover and to find their smiles again.

Your biggest defeat ?

Not being able to help a child escape from his difficult situation and failing to free a couple of young girls from their difficult environment.

What do you like most in your work?

To teach children good values and to see them grow and become life – affirming again. I am happy to watch them leave for school and that most of them are planning to pursue further education. I know the history of every single child, all those incredible tales of woe they had to gro through every day   before coming to us. Their success in their new lives is also our success – the success of the NGO AVEC and its donors, which it is very proud of – and so am I!

Your biggest wish to Santa Claus?

That Cambodian men going to Thailand to work do not leave their wives and children any more. And that people in Cambodia will stop disposing their garbage on the side of the roads – then Cambodia would be even more beautiful.

Your hobbies?

Gardening, embroidery and studying French.

I love working in the garden as this calms me and allows me to sort my thoughts and to forget about my problems. This is my kind of meditation.

Theavy Bun

Theavy – always with a big smile.

  • Spenden Sie jetzt!

    The shortcode is missing a valid Donation Form ID attribute.

  • Newsletter

  • Let’s be friends

Instagram

Join our instaworld

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No connected account.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account.