Yes, I know what you are thinking, isn’t WWR a charity already? Well we are, but because we have been rather small until now, we have only been registered with HMRC as a charity for tax purposes. Only charities of a certain size (i.e. level of income) can apply to become a fully fledged charity with the Charity Commission and this is what we are now.
Hooray! The process has been quite long and many signatures and documents have been required but we are through it and can now write:
If you have a spare 25 minutes please make time to watch the latest edition of Unreported World on Channel 4, it is available to view at the ’4On Demand’ website for the next 27 days (until 13th December 2009). I warn you though, it will make you cry.
The presenter Yemi Ipaye visits a number of child widows living in the South-West of the country. Their situations are desperate. One girl was married at 11 and widowed at 13. She was married off at a young age because the dowry paid by the parents is less the younger the bride is. Now she is viewed as a burden by her parents who beat and verbally abuse her; she will not be married again as she is now perceived as being bad luck and is blamed for the death of her husband. Like many widows she may need to resort to prostitution to provide for herself.
The Hindu belief in reincarnation makes it clear that bad luck in this life is determined by past sins in a previous life. Therefore young widows are ostracised by society and insulted, they are treated as if they were evil and are isolated and become the ‘living dead’, the title of the program. In the past in Nepal sati was practiced. This is the ritual suicide of a wife when her husband dies. It was carried out by the widow climbing onto the funeral pyre of her husband and burning alive. The practice was outlawed across Nepal and India a century ago but the prejudice and stigma that enforced it remains today. It seems that a widow’s life is worth nothing.
A widow in Kathmandu described how she had been asked to leave her home when her landlord discovered she was a widow. Now she no longer tells anyone, simply lying that her husband is working overseas. She is impoverished and has had to send her two children to an orphanage because she can not look after them.
Women Without Roofs supports women that are on their own either because they are widowed or their husband is missing. Please help us to help more women like these.
We have had enormous success selling pashminas to raise money for the women, unfortunately we have decided to stop selling them as rising fuel costs, the weak pound and other factors have left us making very little profit from them although we put the prices up several times.
If you would still like a pashmina then please contact our supplier directly through their website: www.fewapashmina.com
Residents at Steven’s Court, Winnersh enjoyed a Nepali evening last Thursday. They were treated to Nepali food, took part in a quiz about Nepal (many were surprised by how much they knew!) and wore saris whilst dancing to Nepali music. The aim of the event was to raise awareness of the plight of women in Nepal and to raise funds for WWR.
Anna from WWR with Doreen who helped arrange the event
The latest class attending the Cyrene sewing and literacy class has just graduated. They attended a graduation ceremony and were presented with certificates marking their achievement.
The course was funded by Women Without Roofs and helps the women attending it to establish their own micro-sewing businesses from home.
We will be placing the next Pashmina order on Friday 4th September. If you would like to place an order please get it to us by that date – the person to contact is Marilyn jmjaques@ntlworld.com.
All proceeds from the sale of pashminas goes to support needy women in Nepal.
Bina, our Nepali assistant, is now the proud owner of a new Scooter paid for in part by Women Without Roofs – Nepal. It will enable her to visit the women we support in Kathmandu more easily and frequently, enabling us to provide them with greater support when they need it.
Sadly Hari, one of the people we support in Nepal, has died today after a short stay in hospital. Our prayers are for his wife Gyanu whom he leaves behind.
Hari and Gyanu were the only ‘old couple’ we supported – they had no children of their own and their nephew had cheated them of their life savings.
They are pictured together here.
Gyanu and Hari selling on the streets of Kathmandu
Women Without Roofs will of course continue to provide support to his wife.
Bina, our reliable and caring co-ordinator in Kathmandu, Nepal, will shortly be the proud owner of a new silver Scooter, bought, in part, by WWR. The new Scooter, pictured below, will allow her to get around Kathmandu far more easily than she has been by bus. This means she will be able to visit the women we support more frequently and spend more time with them.
Posted by wearfromwhere 
Posted by wearfromwhere 
Posted by wearfromwhere 
