Solfrid Raknes - UHURU MAMA

Instead of Waiting

Uhuru Mama consists of 34 mothers of children with developmental disabilities at Uhuru Mchanganyiko Primary School in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The collective originated when I noticed many mothers sitting and waiting all day while their children were at school. I proposed the idea of a cultural collective to Professor Mariana Makuu at Open University, and she liked it. Mariana and I know each other from collaborating in Children with Disabilities & UN Rights Conventions, an exchange project aimed at improving the quality of life for children with developmental disabilities in Norway and Tanzania funded by NOREC. We agreed that it would be empowering for the mothers to use their time to earn money. Mariana opened the door to the principal for me, who was positive about the idea of facilitating the establishment of a cultural collective. Half a year after its inception, the mothers have become a strong and supportive work community, sharing joys and sorrows, producing beautiful handicrafts for sale, and collaborating to improve conditions for people with developmental disabilities in Tanzania.

Sewing their ways out of stigma

"Being part of this collective – it's like coming up from a deep, dark hole!" said Hariet Kabende, one of the Uhuru Mamas, during the first sales exhibition. The mothers have a group where they feel at home, they earn money, they develop skills based on traditional Tanzanian crafts, they use their hands and minds to create increasingly beautiful products, collaborate on business plans, and develop networks that can promote sales. They are proud of having developed knowledge and skills, created lots of beautiful things, and earned money. They feel less shame, fewer are hindered by depression, they sleep better and worry less. Developmental disability is traditionally associated with witchcraft in Tanzania. Many believe that having a child with a developmental disability is a punishment, thus heavy thoughts come easily. From the start of the collective, more than 2/3 of the mothers were depressed; now, less than a third are depressed, and among those who still suffer from depression, for most it has gone from being severe to mild. However, the everyday lives of the mothers and their families are still very challenging: Most mothers are single providers, and even though they earn a little more and see a brighter future, they live in poverty in a country without welfare benefits. But laughter comes easily among the grass, coconut leaves, and batik fabrics, and there is constant singing and dancing, making challenges and the harsh realities of life easier to handle. "I rest a bit on the mat, look at my child, feel the love for her, thank God, and then continue," says Zulfa, when I ask her how she manages to persevere.

To make life easier for others

Solfrid and the board of Uhuru Mama have met regularly one day each week since July. There is a lot that needs to be in place to establish a stable workplace for more than 30 ladies, regardless of location, and the low level of education and deep poverty make the work meaningful, but also challenging. During the fall, three regular workdays per week were introduced, a logo was created, three sewing machines were purchased, and participants learned to weave beautiful bowls in grass. They have produced craft products for two sales exhibitions, and in total made about 350 products for sale. The mothers' goal for 2024 is to take their children to school every school day, afford three meals a day and the medicines their children need. In addition, they will work to improve conditions for people with developmental disabilities in Tanzania, by sharing their experiences on radio, TV, social media, and craft fairs. This is important in a country where most children with developmental disabilities are still hidden away or live as street beggars.

Start-up Support to Establish Sustainable Business

The income from the sale of craft products was distributed among the participants in the collective first after the sales exhibition in August (431 USD), then after participation at the Artisan Market/products delivered to Myratun in December (30,000 TZH to each participant). To start producing craft products, buying materials, and sewing machines, and getting good systems in place for the collective, financial support is needed in the start-up phase. We have talked our way to solutions to challenges that have arisen along the way. One challenge has been to prioritize coming regularly to a job where one does not receive a fixed salary: For people in poverty, immediate costs are typically a challenge. In October, the board of Uhuru Mama and I therefore agreed that the women who actively participate in the collective will be covered 3000 TZH/day (equivalent to 1,5 USD) for attendance; it covers bus transport for those who need it, and in any case, it provides an incentive to come. After this arrangement was put in place, we have seen much steadier attendance and more optimism that the collective can eventually become sustainable jobs.