Anne Marie P.

My training with Gender Links in 2014 was a great experience. Unfortunately I could not attend all the sessions because my daughter-in-law gave birth to my first and only grandchild. Actually I was not aware of how a woman really ought to be. Gender Links enabled me to meet a lot of people. I am still in touch with them and we became good friends. I can share my problems with them. We all realised our self worth. At the beginning I was psychologically weaken. It was not easy for me to part away from my husband. He was verbally and physically abusive. The separation did create additional problems but it also enabled me to meet a very nice man. It was a dream which turned into reality. We live together and have a daughter. I have two more children with my former partner.

The way I lived completely changed after the course. I am no longer introvert and I do not feel embarrassed anymore to voice out my problems. I have a better peace of mind as a learned how to manage mental stress. These changes can be perceived by looking at the way I am now. I take great care of my physical appearance. I also take care of my several relationships differently. I am different as a mother, as a wife and as a person in general. I have now a clear idea of what I want and the kind of future I want my children to have. I now raise them based on a totally new set of ideas and way of thinking.

Since the training many changes occurred in my life. I a busy woman and apart from taking care of my family I work as a shoe mender (though I aspire to become a shoemaker), hairdresser and dressmaker. I sometimes sell ready made goods. I also worked in tea and sugarcane plantations and as a housemaid. After the birth of my grandchild I stopped working as a maid so that I can take good care of him. I am financially better off now. My family and I often did not have enough food to satisfy our daily needs in the past.

One very interesting point about me is that I have a passion for shoe production. I worked with shoemakers in the past and have a sound knowledge of shoe making techniques. I wish to have my own shoe making business. Some of my acquaintances expressed their desire to join me in the event that I succeed in doing so. I am teaching this profession to my children so that they can earn a decent living. Unfortunately I do not have the necessary funding for now. I wish I could benefit from financial help. I have a lot of ideas and I wish that I will soon be able to concretise them. I would be happier if I possessed a business both in shoemaking and hairdressing.

I believe that I will be able to deal with new challenges. I encourage people facing similar problems to find a solution and work hard to improve their living. Though I feel that some people may be jealous of my personal accomplishment I am now a respected woman. I have a social life and developed a liking for helping people in painful situations. I can also see the clear difference between what is wrong and what is right. I believe that Gender Links is the reason for the positive changes in my life.