Imphal, May 02 2009: Thanks to Women Income Generation Centre (WIGC) for breathing a new lease of life to many subjugated women whose hopes to life have been almost annihilated in this patriarchic society.

Being headquartered at Thoubal Wangmataba, the Centre is not only providing shelter to 118 women in its 82 different branches but also opening up employment avenues to these women through various trades of handicrafts.

Apart from it, WIGC is also extending roof to 61 destitute children providing free education and clothing.

No doubt, women staying in this Centre have now regained their smiles as they can stand on their own with their earnings, unlike of the past wherein stories for every inmates speak volumes on the subjugation of women in the society.

An inmate, Ronita (25), a girl from a remote village of Imphal East district is one of those whose life was miserable in her own house.

Since her childhood, Ronita wished to live freely and aspired to contribute something as a responsible citizen during her lifetime.

But the conservative outlook of her seven brothers tied her wings tight compelling her to remain within the confines of the home.

She could not even go to school regularly as she had to shoulder responsibility of looking after her ailing mother since she was in Class III.

Even though, she had all those miseries, Ronita atleast had somebody to complain her woes when her father was alive.

Ronita's sufferings became worst from worse after her father passed away.

Leave alone looking after her needs, she was just reduced to the status of domestic help after her father was no more.

None of her seven brothers were ready to help Ronita as her sisters-in-law were deadly against educating a 'girl'.

Ronita recalled, it seemed that she had neither her right over her brothers nor the family as a whole.

She was thrashed on many occasions on false charges making her life virtually a hell.

Ronita at last gathered all her courage and took the help of one of her aunts and reached the Centre.

She can now atleast do something what she has been dreaming for long.

Another inmate, Noor (30), a Muslim woman said, venturing out in search of earning and staying overnight in others place by an unmarried women are not allowed under Islamic law.

She lamented, people of her locality have lots to say regarding her stay at the Centre.

But these people had nothing to help when her family suffered due to poverty, she added.

Noor posed, "Should my family fast to death to follow the tradition and religion".

The story of Memcha (45) tells another tale.

Her husband passed away leaving two daughters.

Soon after the death of his son, Memcha's father-in-law asked her to leave the house accusing that she does not have any son.

But she continued to stay there as she thought that she too had the right in the house of her husband.

At last as the atrocity of her father-in-law crossed all limits, she decided to take shelter at the Centre, Memcha recalled.

Lembi (25), another inmate of the Centre, is a girl whose heart has lots of love, sacrifice and sympathy.

Forgetting all the merries and bliss of a young life, she has been looking after two children left by her late brother.

Her sister-in-law eloped with another man soon after Lembi's brother passed away leaving the two children on the lap of the young girl.

Stricken by poverty, Lembi tried multiple earning alternatives that guided her to land at the Centre at last.

WIGC chief functionary Indira Oinam said, Lembi's love of children is extraordinary.

That's why she has been appointed as the in-charge of the Children Home of the Centre.

She also looks after the aid contributed to the home from various individuals and organisation, Indira added.

Comment