Alowara

The life of a woman who make handicrafts at one of the projects I design for:
Alowara Begum was born into a poor family, and her father was a day laborer who found work sometimes, not consistently. When Alowara was old enough, around fifteen years, she was married. Her father could not provide a dowry to her husband, an Ayurvedic doctor. Alowara’s new husband did not come home often, and when he did he did not bring money. Alowara stayed with her husband’s family, and three years after the marriage twins, a son and a daughter, were born. The son died at birth, but the daughter survived. With the new baby, Alowara’s financial worries increased as her husband did not make enough money to meet family expenses. In addition, during this time Alowara’s husband married five other women. Though her husband visited all his wives, Alowara was the only one who lived with his family. Alowara received nothing from her husband, but she stayed with him partly for the sake of her daughter. In society identity is closely tied to the father and his family. When it could not get any worse, Alowara found a job for both herself and her daughter at ISSD. When Alowara is busy with work, she is happy. At night when she is at home with her husband’s family Alowara is unhappy, but she feels secure. She has a dream to educate her daughter, so that her daughter can be part of society unlike her mother. Alowara thanks job creation and ISSD for their support, but she wants a continued support for the realization of her dreams.