On Mother’s Day, Milaap, a crowdfunding platform, has started a new initiative called #MothersTogether to highlight and support the extraordinary stories of single and widowed mothers.
Walking away from your home after a broken marriage, leaving behind memories and life as you knew it, is never easy. The disintegration of families because of women being abandoned by their husbands or left as widows, forces them to assume new roles. Until recently, single mothers had no right to inheritance, land and property, but the laws still do not prevent the gaps through which patriarchy continues to suppress women, especially single mothers.
Single mothers have to bear a much greater responsibility for their children and elders in the family. They also have to develop new coping skills and confidence, requiring courage and resilience to help sustain and rebuild their families. But their resilience is constantly challenged by the stigma they face in society. And they fight this silent war everyday.
In the North East region of India, especially in states like Mizoram where patriarchal domination still holds strong, the pressure on women is tremendous. Women are often expected to obey without questioning and if they resist, they are attacked or threatened by their own community.
When Lalfakzuali, a single mother from Mizoram was divorced by her husband, all she was allowed to carry from her house was a bundle of clothes and her son. Everything else that she had worked hard to build, she had to leave behind. Lalfakzuali returned to her home and parents, and started helping her mother and sisters in weaving - the only source of income for her family.
After her parents passed away, Lalfakzuali took control of her family’s weaving business and aimed to expand it. But for this she needed more looms. So she applied for and received a loan. There was a great demand for their shawls and with a new loom, the sisters took on more orders. Today, Lalfakzuali employs four women and owns five looms. Her thriving business in Aizawl has enabled her to earn enough money to educate her seven-year-old son.
Lalfakzuali is one among many single mothers who have fought the odds to ensure a promising future for their children. On Mother’s Day, Milaap, a crowdfunding platform, has started a new initiative called #MothersTogether to highlight and support the extraordinary stories of single and widowed mothers.
#MothersTogether features profiles of single and widowed mothers who have strived hard to set up their own enterprises. These mothers are looking for encouragement and every contribution made towards these single mothers is matched by Milaap’s partners to double the impact.
So this Mother’s Day, let's celebrate the undying spirit of single mothers and pledge our support to help fulfil their dreams.
The author works with Milaap.
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