By: Elisabeth Uru Ndaya

Like or not, it must be admitted that many women in East Sumba are still left behind than men, in terms of quality of life as well as the roles and participation to make decision. The patriarchal culture has directly or indirectly placed women in second rank, as if women cannot be equal to their husbands, powerless, even have no power over themselves. Gender equality does not mean demanding women exactly be the same as men, but it supports women and men to have opportunity to be equal. Therefore, multiplication of Stube-HEMAT in Sumba focused on women empowerment program, to respond and to support the efforts to improve the quality of women resources in Sumba, especially in Tanatuku village, Nggaha Ori Angu district. It grows gender sensitivity and awareness among the community and the stakeholders.

In the midst of the weaving process, Elisabeth Uru Ndaya, the multiplicator, invited them to discuss and exchange ideas with a theme ’women and the shackles of freedom’ (5/05/2021). The women are still trapped by the doctrine that women are only at home taking care of their children and being devoted to their husbands. It is a wrong understanding about the nature of man and woman, and it is very important to know and to have advanced understanding in which men and women have their own natures that cannot be exchanged, such as women are born with vaginal organs and uterus, give birth and breastfeed, while men are born with a penis and have sperm that can fertilize the egg. But the matter of taking care of the household, working, taking care of children, driving, leading, and being led is not natural, because it can be done by women and men.

After nearly a year of accompanying the weaving group, multiplicator finds that there are many struggles and problems faced by women who wanted to have self-development, such as getting bad acts, physical violence, verbal abuse from their husbands or families. In the village of Tanatuku, 12 cases of violence have been recorded, 3 of which are participants in the Stube-HEMAT weaving group. In the discussion, the group members, Er (initials) told that her husband forbade her to hang out with anyone and even to join a weaving group, she got physical violence from her husband. With various approaches done by the weaving group, now she gets freedom from her husband. Another participant, Ri (initials) poured out her heart, her husband's family hated her so much that she was scolded and even beaten, and Or (initials) also told the story of her struggle with her husband who was controlling all her actions, while her husband now has another woman.

The free and independent women are women who are able to express their ideas and thoughts positively without forgetting their nature as a woman, no matter when they are at their weakest or strongest level, they can convey it with respect. The problems that exist do not reduce their intention to continue to improve their quality in the process of becoming a weaver. They learn not just weaving, but many things about life. The opportunity to meet is a moment for them to support each other, to exchange ideas, and to strengthen one another for every household problem that are faced. Women must continue to have self-development and life quality.***