I tend to associate words like empowerment, freedom and transformation to vague concepts in the dictionary. Empower: "transitive verb". Empower: "to promote the self-actualization...". Empower: desirable and powerful, but at the same time vague and reminiscent of poetry.
It all changed today. After going to the field, the world empowerment brings with it memories of women who take off their veil and are not afraid of being heard. Women who recall how they at first barely left their houses or even talked to neighbors, and now think of launching into politics. Women who taught themselves to write and now even do book-keeping. Women, with a vital role in society.
How does this happen? In a nutshell, women start participating in self-help groups, which serve as a safe space for them to share their problems with others and realize that they are not alone. They also start seeing that they are a strong collective: together, they can ask the government to provide the services that their children deserve; together, they can get access to finance, create businesses and contribute the the improvement of their families livelihoods.
The concept of changing the world only by changing yourself first is something that became clear only after working with IMAGO. The power of grassroots organizations relies on having its members change the way they see themselves, and believe that they can transform what is around them. Long discussions with another person who also is a summer associate with Imago brought up the name of Paulo Freire and the idea of education changing the way the oppressed view themselves to regain their sense of humanity and overcome their conditions. In the words of Freire himself: "the oppressed must be their own example in the struggle for their redemption" (1970, pg 54)
I, personally, am ready to practice a life life where I don't start by judging and changing those around me but rather begin by making myself better, stronger and only then transforming my ambiance.
It all changed today. After going to the field, the world empowerment brings with it memories of women who take off their veil and are not afraid of being heard. Women who recall how they at first barely left their houses or even talked to neighbors, and now think of launching into politics. Women who taught themselves to write and now even do book-keeping. Women, with a vital role in society.
How does this happen? In a nutshell, women start participating in self-help groups, which serve as a safe space for them to share their problems with others and realize that they are not alone. They also start seeing that they are a strong collective: together, they can ask the government to provide the services that their children deserve; together, they can get access to finance, create businesses and contribute the the improvement of their families livelihoods.
The concept of changing the world only by changing yourself first is something that became clear only after working with IMAGO. The power of grassroots organizations relies on having its members change the way they see themselves, and believe that they can transform what is around them. Long discussions with another person who also is a summer associate with Imago brought up the name of Paulo Freire and the idea of education changing the way the oppressed view themselves to regain their sense of humanity and overcome their conditions. In the words of Freire himself: "the oppressed must be their own example in the struggle for their redemption" (1970, pg 54)
I, personally, am ready to practice a life life where I don't start by judging and changing those around me but rather begin by making myself better, stronger and only then transforming my ambiance.
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