This has boosted her confidence to participate in public spaces, where she is now a lead mother mentoring pregnant and lactating young women from her village in a care group. 

Thirty-three-year-old DOROTHY MARIVASA lives in Mamutse village under Chief Bota in Ward 29 Zaka district. The last born in a family of 11, Dorothy was spoilt by her parents as they provided everything she wanted and needed more than they ever did for her siblings. She cherished the memories of her upbringing as she as they clashed with the reality of marriage in a patriarchal society.

Dorothy met and married Christopher from Dekeza village in 2007. Together they have four children, the eldest being fourteen years of age. As the couple is not formally employed, they rely on horticulture and casual jobs such as brick molding & preparing other people’s fields to earn a living. This has led to their waking time being consumed with daily tasks to make ends meet. The transition into becoming Christopher’s wife was a difficult experience for Dorothy. 

It was not her place to voice her concerns but to take instructions from her husband without question. It wasn’t her place to discuss some of the challenges they face as a household, let alone advise him on the best decision to make for their family, as it always led to frustration. 

The onus was on Dorothy to tend to the household chores, including fetching water, as Christopher did not believe it was his place to assist with around the household as he had a wife and children to do so. “His tone was always harsh when he spoke to the children and I,” confides Dorothy and adds she was not allowed to participate in community meetings, as the husband felt it was the men’s job to plan for their women and children. 

With the advent of the USAID Takunda project, Christopher attended a meeting where a team from Takunda was sensitizing the community on male champion training and group registrations. Christopher decided to follow through on what he learned and joined a men’s fora group led by a peer. Dorothy said, “Joining the men’s fora meetings transformed him. Everything changed, and we started planning as a family.”

Cheerful, Dorothy is grateful for the peace and happiness in her family. Christopher now actively and openly discusses their financial issues with her and the children. Sometimes, he fetches water and helps her wash the dishes, a job which was previously done by Dorothy and the children. Christopher said, “My family did not believe it during the first days when they saw me doing dishes and fetching water; to them, it was a joke.” Now they are used to it. Dorothy had this to say about her household vision “I want us to succeed as a family through Takunda and for my family to remain united.”

Christopher has gone on to encourage Dorothy to attend community meetings. His support led to her joining a village savings and loans association in her village and provided her with the initial capital. 

This has boosted her confidence to participate in public spaces, where she is now a lead mother mentoring pregnant and lactating young women from her village in a care group.