Welcomed
with a comforting smile, women who come to Maher are first put at
ease with a cup of tea or a meal. Then they are spoken to and the
reason for their coming to Maher is established. If their problem
appears to be genuine, they are admitted immediately. Most of the
women are referred to Maher by known individuals and organisations.
If there is doubt, the woman is still admitted but a social worker
visits the place where she came from, to verify the facts of the
case. Women who come to Maher range from those that have suffered
domestic violence at the hands of their alcoholic husbands and his
family members, young widows, and unmarried young girls with unwanted
pregnancies. Most of the women have been duped or taken advantage
of, usually by a male relative. A few are victims of rape. Some
of the pregnant women are sent to us by another social organisation,
which looks after the children after they are born but does not
have the facilities to look after the mothers, both before and after
delivery.
After the initial formality of documentation and listing of their
belongings the women are given a cursory checkup, obvious cases
and high-risk women are sent for a medical examination. Once this
is done they are escorted to their house, introduced to their housemothers
and other members of their house, shown where to keep their personal
clothes and belongings, explained the topography and general rules
of the place. and the usual schedule for the day. They are also
issued clothes, toiletries and bedding. They are then left alone,
to assuage their feelings, knowing that there are a whole lot of
other women waiting to make friends and be of any help.
At Maher, our goal is not just to provide shelter and love to women
in distress, but to rehabilitate them and if possible effect reconciliation
between their spouses and families. |
