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Mobarka:
lived 20 years serving my family, and at the end I am in the
street.
My name is Mobarka. I am about 50 years old.. I have been married for 30
years. I have 5 sons and daughters, they grew up and they live now with
their father, after he divorced me and remarried. They live here in alqanater.
I led a
miserable life but I bared everything for the sake of my children, his
wife and mother treated me badly because they didn't want him to marry me
but wanted him to marry his cousin.
My husband used to beat me, but I did
not complain, till the day that he beat me and threw me out of the house,
then I went to my brothers th ey
made me file a lawsuit against him, but he came to me and apologized so I
withdrew the complaint and the lawsuit, though my brothers refused and
said they wont know me if I did that, but I had to go back for the sake of
my children.
But when I came back I was put in a room and my husband forced me to stay
there all time. I was not allowed to see my children. He did not pay any
of my expenses so I had to buy bread and sell it in order to afford my
self; I used to make 15 LE days a day, I used to save 10 LE daily to buy
bread for the next day, I used the rest to buy gas for the lamp and for
cooking. this situation lasted for a year and a half, till my husband threw
me out and got married to another woman, and my children live with him
now. My children now work and give him their money, he prevents them to
come and see me and yet they come secretly to see me, although we live in
the same city.
I used to live with my brothers, but their wives did not like my being
there, so I live alone now in a space of land, with a mud ceiling and I
only have a bed, and that is my life now, all what I need is an electrical
lamp, because I live all by my self, and I feel very afraid at night, the
staff in the Association of the Association for the Development and
Enhancement for Women come over sometimes to see me, they talk to me, they
help me and always offer more help, they said they could take pension to
support me. I feel very sad for I lived in a misery all my life for the
sake of my children till they grew up, and at the end I have no place to
live in.
Sobheya: my marriage only lasted two months:
My name is Sobheya. I am thirty years old; I was born in a small town in
Qualyobeya governorate. I am not educated, I got married 14 years ago my
husband was 35 years old then. I only lived two months with him, and we
have a son who is 12 years now. My mother in law used to beat me but my
husband could not defend me so I filed complaint against her, so my
husband divorced me.
I filed a lawsuit against my husband, he paid me 30 LE monthly, but since
1996 and until now, I only got 200 LE. When my son grew up, his father
took him from me but 16 days later, his aunt brought him to me and said
"take your son", I to ok my son and lived in one room with my mother, but
my brother lives at the same house, he kicks my son out every day, I keep
looking for him and bring him back, then my brother beats him, my brother
wants me to raise only his children.
Girls' Dreams: Naima's story:
My name is Naima and I am 16 years old and have finished third
preparatory. I left school in order to help my mother in the house, I am
the oldest, and my mother was getting tired from serving all of us, in
addition to her work in the market. I have no time to take literacy
classes or to go to sewing or any other skills training.
I work from early
in the morning until late at night. I have six brothers and sisters of
different ages. Some of them go to school and I prepare their breakfast
and help them get dressed. Others work and I have to prepare their food.
Then there are those who are younger than I am and whom I take care of
during the day. Between cleaning the house, cooking, washing, and taking
care of the younger children the day goes by.
My only dream is to rest, to relax, and have time for myself. Just to sit
and do nothing. I do not have any other dreams for I do not have time for
such things. (Bibars 2000)
Female Heads of Households: Soheir's story
I have five children, three boys and two girls, and I was divorced four
years ago. My husband abandoned the children and never provided for them
after the divorce. Even before the divorce, my husband never did anything,
and used to lie down all the time inside the house, and I had to bring him
his cigarettes and all other things, until finally he married another
woman and left the children. I had to work in other people's houses as a
maid although I suffered from a heart disease. Afterwards I became
diabetic too, so I couldn't work as much anymore. My health deteriorated
because of the burdens of my job besides caring for the children.
Sometimes, I even pass out while walking in the street.
My eldest son is
14 years old; he likes to play all the time in the streets and never works
to help me. Yes I would like to see my two youngest children educated, but
how could I afford to do so? I enrolled the boy in literacy classes and
the little girl helps me in the house. Given the nature of the
neighborhood that we live in, I am afraid that my children will start
using drugs or become deviant. Once, when a man came asking for my
daughter's hands in marriage, I had to go beg my male neighbors to stand
by me while meeting the groom.
All I ask of you is that you look at us to see that we exist and that we
need support. I need to get treatment so that I can keep on working to
raise my children well and to earn some money so that I can buy some
things to sell. I want to take care of my children, protect them and to
move to a better neighborhood
Arab women speak out: Mona's story
My eldest daughter got married when she was 14 years old, without my
consent. I didn't want her to get married so young, because she didn't yet
understand the meaning of marriage. The truth is that, at that time,
neither I nor my daughter had a say in this marriage matter, and the
result was that my daughter never got along with her husband and they
always quarreled. They always had lots of problems and in the end they
were divorced.
When we heard about "Arab Women Speak Out" program, and that the
Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women helps women to
solve marital problems, we quickly joined the program. Thanks to the
program, I was able to change a lot, so later when a man came asking for
my other daughter's hands, though my husband consented to the marriage and
even helped the groom to buy the rings, I took the ring and gave it back
to the groom and said "I don't have daughters ready for marriage. My
daughter is too young". And that was the first time in my life that I
stood up for something and took action.
Women's Legal Existence: Aida's story
My name is Aida from Minya Prefecture. My husband died 6 months ago, and I
was told that I need to have an ID card. When I went to issue one, they
said that they needed my birth certificate, which I did not have, so they
told me to issue a certified copy of the certificate. It was a bitter
experience for me going from one office to the other. They needed a
marriage certificate, so I borrowed some money in order to have it issued,
although I have trouble even feeding my 4 children, as I have no source of
income to provide for them.
After I obtained the marriage certificate, they told me to bring a family
registration. Again I had to borrow money to complete the necessary
documents. After that, they said I need to bring a paper from Sheikh
El-Hara (the chief of the alley) to prove that I don't have any brothers
or sisters. So I went to Sheikh El-Hara several times until I had to beg
him and kiss his hand to finish this paper for me. It has been six months
now, but I still don't have my ID card. I need the ID to get the pension
money, and I am in need of every penny for my children.
After all the trouble I had to go through, now they tell me they need the
death certificate of my father who died 30 years ago. I don't know exactly
when my father died and I don't know what I can do about it. I have done
all I can, and I beg of you to find me a solution. Until now I have no
income, and I need to have an ID to get the pension money for my children.
Women's Legal Existence: Sadiya's story
My name is Sadiya from Fayoum Prefecture. I need to issue an ID card for
myself but I can't find my name at the civil registration office or
anywhere else. I have four children. When my husband deserted us, he took
all our birth certificates with him. an ID card can't be issued without a
birth certificate and I don't know what can be done, since I can't even
find my name at the civil registration office.
Violence against Women: Huwaida's story
My experience began when I was still very young. After my
 mother
passed away, I lived with my father in a room in the mayor's house. My
father was a servant at the mayor's house. I was the most beautiful girl
in the village and all young boys had their eyes on me. After I finished
preparatory school, my father wanted me to marry a good person and settle
down while he was still alive.
But the mayor's son had something else on his mind. One day he sent my father out
to go get something and he came into my room. I screamed and begged him to
leave me alone, but he raped me and threatened that if I told my father he
would kill me. I didn't know what to do when I found out that I was
pregnant. I couldn't find any solution for my problem other than running
away from the village. I got on the train heading for Cairo without
knowing what would become of me. I was then 14 years old. I arrived in
Cairo and wandered around in the streets aimlessly.
It was then that I found a kind looking old man sitting in a cafe. I
approached him and told him my story, so he took me in, gave me a job in
his company and took me to a doctor to have an abortion. I used to sleep
in a room in the company every night after all employees were gone. I
thought that my suffering days were over, especially when the old man
promised that he will send for my father to come to Cairo, but my father
had already died of grief. As bad things happen simultaneously, soon
after, the kind old man also died. One night as I was in my room, the old
man's son came in with his friends, holding knives, but I resisted them
until one of the knives stabbed me in my back. Then they got scared and
fled the room and I was left alone covered in my blood. When people heard
me screaming, they gathered around me and the police also came, but the
boy's family begged me not to report to the police as a favor for what his
father had done for me. Afterwards I was kicked out like a dog from the
company, and history was repeating itself again. Once again I was out in
the street, not knowing where my fate was taking me this time. |
