West Berbice women moving beyond “cooking and gossiping”

Women in West Berbice would now be able to make better use of their spare time and be more self-sufficient through the work of an empowerment group that was formed five months ago.

At the Bush Lot Women’s Volunteer Group & Learning Centre, over 60 ladies are learning different crafts such as knitting, floral arrangement, embroidery and fabric painting.

They are also awaiting sewing machines, stoves and cooking utensils to start other courses. The sessions are open to mostly housewives and young school drop-outs from Abary to Bath Settlement.

According to president of the group, Debbie Sukra, apart from “cooking and gossiping” she found that the women had nothing else to do to occupy their time in the afternoons.

She said she decided to speak to the chairperson of the Community Development Committee, Latchmin Azeez about starting a woman’s sports group but was advised to start the group to empower the women instead.

Their only problem, Sukra said, was finding a building to house the group. She said they subsequently approached chairman of the Union/ Naarstigheid Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Edwin Joseph for permission to use a building that was constructed a few years ago to be used as a market.

The building remained a “white elephant” until the ladies dismantled the stalls and converted them to furniture and started meeting there three days per week.

Sukra told Stabroek News that Nebert Rodney, who specializes in craft making and is attached to the Regional Education Department, is currently conducting some of the sessions. Women from the group who possess special skills also share them with the others. Though the motto of the group is “Empowering Women,” Sukra said men can also benefit from some of the courses. Further, she stated that the “Learning Centre” was added to the name of the group after a delegation met with President Bharrat Jagdeo to secure computers and other equipment.

The president has promised to provide them with the items but stated that men should also be allowed access to the facilities if they are interested. The women are also trying to get electricity and a phone line for the building in time for when the computers arrive.