Stories

When Women Supporting Women through Home Workers Group

Widi is a housewife who lives with her two children in a narrow alley in Mojokerto. Due to their challenging economic situation, her husband had to move and work in Surabaya. He visits once a week. Widi is currently the head of the family. She takes care of her children while also works at home as a hat seamstress to make ends meet. Knowing her story, The National Network Friends of Indonesian Women Homeworkers (MWPRI), one of  MAMPU’s partners, assisted Widi and ensured that her rights as a homeworker are fulfilled.

Her day starts with taking her children to school and picking up materials for the hats she has to sew from Mojokerto city. Afterwards, she goes home and sews hats until the sun goes down. Within a day, she can sew more than 140 hats. From this, she earns IDR 5,000 (AUD 0.5) per 20 hats. She has to work seven days in a week to meet the market’s demand.

In between her rigorous work schedule, she still has to juggle between cooking for her family and picking up her children from school. A long duration of work makes it hard for her to do other activities other than sewing hats. She is exhausted, but she refuse to give up. She wants her children have a better future.

Knowing her burden, one of her friends told her to initiate a Women Home Workers (PPR) group in her village so that homeworkers have a place to share their stories and give solutions for its members. Supported by The National Network Friends of Indonesian Women Homeworkers (MWPRI), Widi and other homeworkers formed PPR group in Mojokerto. This group has been conducting various activities such as series of information dissemination of homeworkers’ rights.

After numerous discussions with other homeworkers, she realised she has not been receiving an appropriate wage from her works and no attention on health and safety standard of work environment. Widi who now has a better understanding of wage system and homeworkers’ rights for protection and safety in workplace, found the courage to negotiate with her employer about her wage. She also began to put more attention on health and safety standard of work environment. She wears a mask when she works to prevent seam powder flies to her respiratory tract. Now, she has earned a proper wage, aware of her safety in working and could better support her family.

Widi blooms to the fullest. Not only she participates in all PPR meetings, she also becomes a board member of MWPRI in Mojokerto. Through both organisations, she encouraged other homeworkers to put more attention on health and safety standard of work environment. She also asked them actively participate in organisations to broaden their knowledge. Through her tireless efforts, homeworkers in Mojokerto have better understanding about their rights, become active members of local organisations which are their mediums in sharing stories or exchanging solutions on homeworkers.

Keep up the good work, Widi!

Written by: Herry Poerdjianto (Field Facilitator of MWPRI)