Mutual Support

SWBA works, and is so effective, because of mutual support. It is the key to the survival and success of the widows. 

As a collective of mutual support, the widows:

• support, encourage and share information

• gather often with their children

• share in meaningful conversation and peer encouragement  

• train and work together

• eat, sing and dance together

• provide childcare for each other to facilitate their work and training 

• support each other in a mutual savings plan, health insurance, and micro-loans

Mutual micro-financing: 

Widows are trained so that they may choose to take out a small loan from SWBA to start a small business. Within the partnership, SWBA continues to develop sustainable micro-finance strategies including:

• Micro-finance options like mutual savings, loans and health insurance

• Micro-enterprise training including literacy and numeracy

• Ongoing coaching and support from within

Advocacy to prevent widow pillaging and mistreatment

SWBA actively advocates against widow and orphan pillaging to help keep other women from this preventable fate. With their respective immediate and distant neighbourhoods, religious communities, governments and general society, SWBA practices:

• Advocacy to stop the illegal practice of widow pillaging

• Peacemaking within families, between families and between sectarian groups

• Education and awareness with society in general and with women specifically. This includes completing legal wills with their spouse.

Mutual Training: 

SWBA widows gather together to train each widow to learn at least 5 different skills, whether it’s looming cotton or preparing peanut butter for cooking sauces. If a widow was to move away from the community, she would have five different skills that, shifting for market conditions, could potentially keep her family fed.