Removing Restrictions on Women

KOMPAS/KHAERUL ANWAR

Sya\'eun

Thanks to the persistence of Sya’eun, 43, many housewives in Sembalun Bumbung village, East Lombok, are now independent. Previously, their family life depended entirely on their husbands.

For many years, the activities of housewives in Sembalun Bumbung village were a matter of dapur (household chores), kasur (sex) and sumur (laundry). Beyond that, the mothers were asked to help work on the farm. After returning from the farm, they usually spent time chatting while helping each other look for fleas.

Women who went out of the house, such as Sya\'eun, would become a target of gossip, because it was considered strange. Luckily, Sya\'eun\'s husband, Akmaludin, 42, who works as a teacher, fully supports Sya\'eun\'s activities outside the home and dispelled the gossip addressed to his wife.

For Sya\'eun, that division of roles limits the space of movement and kills the potential of women.

Sya\'eun herself did not worry about the gossip from those around her. She is aware that she lives in an environment where the role of women is socially constructed to be limited to domestic matters, while men are constructed to work on all matters other than domestic work. For Sya\'eun, that division of roles limits the space of movement and kills the potential of women.

"Then how do I want to trade and deal with other people," Sya\'eun said during an interview at her home in Bebante hamlet, Sembalun Bumbung village, Sembalun district, East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Sunday (10/11/2019).

Sya\'eun chose to go against the flow rather than stay at home and uninformed. She has been a driving force for the village’s economic development since 2012. She also became a member of the Sembalun Bumbung Village Disaster Preparedness Team (TSBD).

KOMPAS/KHAERUL ANWAR

Sya’eun

Threat of disaster

Sembalun district, which consists of six villages, lies at an altitude of 800-1,200 meters above sea level and is about 107 kilometers from Mataram, the capital of NTB. With its cool air the area was the center of garlic and vegetable farming in the 1980s. In addition to fertile land, Sembalun, which is the starting point for climbing Mount Rinjani, also has charming natural scenery. No wonder it is included in the tourist destination map. In 2016, Sembalun district was even named the World’s Best Halal Honeymoon Destination at the World Tourism Awards in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

However, all of that is overshadowed by various disasters, from floods and earthquakes to landslides. When disaster strikes, it throws the local economy into chaos. Flooding, for example, will destroy strawberry, garlic and potato plants.

"Even if there are crops that can be harvested, no businessman wants to buy it. Finally, the producegoes off because it has been stored for too long," said Sya’eun.

Sya\'eun believes that mothers have great potential to improve the village economy. She conveyed this thought to 50 TSBD members. Her thoughts were accepted, and the TSBD formed small business (UKM) mid-term resiliency groups in eight hamlets of Sembalun Bumbung village in 2012.

However, it is difficult to involve mothers in activities other than domestic affairs. Sya\'eun and her colleagues have to deal with the old assumption that women are responsible for cooking, child-rearing and serving their husbands. Through hard work, they were finally able to form eight SME groups in eight hamlets, each consisting of eight housewives. Later, the UKM changed into Putri Rinjani Syariah Cooperatives.

They are taught skills of producing processed foods, which they use mainly agricultural products that cannot be sold when disaster strikes. With some venture capital, the group produces snacks made from carrots, strawberries, potatoes, mint leaves, black garlic, coffee and honey. The benefits of this are twofold.

First, crops that cannot be sold during disasters can be processed and sold as food. Second, mothers have business activities and additional income. As a result, they no longer depend entirely on their husbands.

Their activities were very meaningful in propping up the family economy at a time when their husbands were out of work.

Sya\'eun\'s ability to motivate mothers was seen when the earthquake struck Lombok in July 2018. Despite the loss of homes, belongings and production equipment, she and many mothers quickly found new enthusiasm. They immediately moved to produce snacks with the existing equipment and sell them to the market. From there, they got the funds they needed to rebuild family life. Their activities were very meaningful in propping up the family economy at a time when their husbands were out of work.

Sya\'eun initiative has grown into 32 business groups producing 32 types of products. After starting with the production of processed food, Sya\'eun also worked on a weaving business driven by mothers to produce songket fabric. Sya\'eun assisted in procuring the yarn and participated in marketing the songket. The proceeds from sales are given back to the weavers, and some are deposited at an Islamic cooperative. Owners of the deposits can take the money every year.

Sya\'eun\'s business achievement involving mothers has silenced her critics, though gossip is still heard sometimes. "I want to show them. This is what I do. Now they see the results. With the skills they have, housewives are able to earn money for their family’s financial security," she said.

Sya\'eun emphasized that the economic resilience of the family was something both husband and wife needed to fight for by working together and sharing responsibilities. "Five years ago, washing and drying clothes was my duty. Now it is possible for the husband to do the laundry and I will dry it in the sun," said Sya\'eun, giving an example.

KOMPAS/KHAERUL ANWAR

Sya\'eun

Sya\'eun\'s persistence in moving mothers has been acknowledged by Oxfam Indonesia. Together with six other women, she received the Women Food Fighters award in 2018.

Sya’eun

Born: East Lombok, 31 December

Husband: Akmaludin, 42

Education:

- SDN 1 Sembalun Bumbung, graduated in 1987

- Madrasah Tsanawiyah Masbagik, East Lombok, graduated in 1990

- Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 1 Selong, East Lombok

Activities:

- Vice principal of MTs Marakit Taklimat high school in Sembalun Bumbung

- Facilitator of mothers/woman activist