Behind the Burqas Outside of the small house in Kabul District 6, the women entering seem anonymous and interchangeable, covered head to toe in their burqas, the all-enveloping dress worn by most Afghan women. Inside, however, the group is colorful and diverse. Some 30 women of all ages kneel on the floor, talking enthusiastically.
by Lynn Heinisch
Members of this group meet every Wednesday morning to contribute to a savings pool, take out loans and exchange information. Today, at their first meeting in May, the women come together to welcome CARE President Helene D. Gayle and speak about their newfound financial freedom, which has helped them develop small businesses and improve the health and education of their families.
CARE President Helene D. Gayle, right, looks over account books with members of a women's savings and loan group in Kabul, Afghanistan. (©2006 CARE/Lynn Heinisch)
"It was a good opportunity to get out and to have access to resources to help our families," says one woman. "We wanted to meet together to have information and to know our rights. In Afghanistan, women don't have the same rights as men. There are not enough job opportunities for men and women, but especially women. We didn't have access to education. We are illiterate people, and we would like to come here to learn something, to save our money together and use our resources to solve our problems. It is better than sitting at home doing nothing."
The women are eager to talk, and each question prompts a flurry of responses. One woman with a school-aged son and an infant daughter says she has learned that her daughter has the same right to education and other services as her son. Another says that members are gaining respect from their families by being able to contribute to financial endeavors. All the women say they voted in the last election.
The women continue to discuss as the group secretary calls out names and they pass along money and account books. When Dr. Gayle asks if the women think their increasing independence would cause tension in their families, the response is resoundingly negative. "We are contributing to our families, helping our husbands and paying for things around the house," says one woman. "These are very positive changes."
CARE has formed 348 savings groups in Kabul, with 7,550 members. As of March 2006, the groups had saved $185,748. Members put in savings and may receive small loans from their group. Shogufa Bayet, 25, lives in District 6. She belongs to the Talash group, and has taken four loans, her most recent for $165 in May. Shogufa uses the money to buy raw materials for weaving carpets.
"Before, when we needed money, there was no one to help us," she says. "Now, my life is better. I can send my daughter to school. We are able to eat fruit."
After nearly three decades of war, the Afghan banking system has been devastated. Just a few years ago, there were no banks in Kabul. CARE's approach of using savings groups to finance women's enterprises is unique in the market.
When the program began in 2001, it was not easy to get women to leave their houses for meetings. It was customary for women to stay at home, and men were suspicious of letting their wives and daughters leave the house. Today, seeing the financial benefits, men call CARE and ask for women's savings groups to be formed in their neighborhoods.
As for Shogufa, she says her husband is happy that she is able to help grow the family business. Her new financial security is changing not only her life, but that of her children as well. Though she did not go to school because her family did not allow it, Shogufa says she wants her 7-year-old daughter to have the chance. Thanks to the women's group, she says, "I know literacy is good for life."
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