History bears testimony to the fact that living the life of a woman is no walk in a park. When the situation demands, they move out of their way to comfort and provide for their families and loved ones. Interviewing one such woman turned out to be a stirring experience.
Everyday, I see Rojanma selling eatables on the streets. She continues her business late till midnight; with the money that she earns, she manages her household and pays her children’s school fees. She also saves and reinvests a part of it as capital.
Q: Are you the only one who earns in your family?
Rojanma: No, my husband does too. He works as a service man in the UPS inverter company.
Q: Do you send your kids to school?
Rojanma: Yes. I have three kids and all of them go to school. The eldest, a boy, is in 6th grade in a private school. The younger ones are in 4th and 2nd grade respectively, and go to public schools.
Q: Isn’t it difficult to take care of your household, your children and the food stall simultaneously?
Rojanma: Yes, it is extremely difficult to manage everything. But we do not have a choice as I have to educate my children. And so, I too have to bear the expenses.
Rojanma is a true fighter. She is not afraid to face the financial stringencies that come her way, or to fight them head-on. Women like her who brave the world are all around us; they are living testimonies as to why womanhood should be celebrated in today’s society- to honour women for who they are and what they do, and to make them feel that they too are special and not just another suppressed section of the society.
(The interview was originally conducted in Kannada)
-Revati Krishna, I EPS
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