Resilience despite resistance: The unique struggles of Khyang women

For these tribal women, the journey against societal hurdles and patriarchal attitudes has been far from easy

Bandarban features cloud-peaked hills, waterfalls and streams, and all the beauty of nature. But not all of its residents have enough to get by.

Ongkraching Khyang, 32, completed her education up to grade 10 in 2010, but financial hardship forced her to abandon her studies. Coming from a poor family where both parents worked on a small plot of land, she and her four siblings often went without meals.

Her father died last year, adding to the family's struggles.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Ongkraching finds it difficult to speak about her difficulties, often choking up with tears.

Recently, she started working on a weaving project, earning Tk 4,000 a month for spinning yarn, another Khyang woman said.

Despite her limited experience, she diligently works from dawn until dusk, hoping to earn more when she starts weaving cloth.

Although the organisation she works for does not have much income, they support her in many ways.

Ongkraching shared with bdnews24.com that one of her sisters is currently in her second year at Jagannath University. The organisation provided financial assistance for her admission. Her younger brother studies in ninth grade at a local school.

Unfortunately, another brother couldn't afford an education and is assisting their mother with farm work and household chores. Ongkraching supports her sister's university education and younger brother's schooling financially by spinning yarn.

KHYANG WOMEN'S SHELTER

Like Ongkraching, many other women, including widows and unemployed individuals, have been engaged in income-generating activities by the Gunguru Para Tribal Women’s Development Organisation. These activities enable many to support their families financially and cover their children's education expenses.

However, for these women, the journey is far from easy, as they face societal hurdles and patriarchal attitudes along the way.

Despite these challenges, they persevere in providing for their families and ensuring their children's education.

Gunguru Khyang Para, situated 15 km from Bandarban Sadar Upazila, accommodates 300 families from the Khyang community.

Formed in 1999 by several Khyang women, the development organisation launched its activities in 2010. Income-generating endeavours kicked off in 2014-2015. The association, comprising 80 members and an 11-strong executive committee, makes decisions collectively, valuing everyone's input on any issue.

The development initiatives undertaken by the organisation encompass weaving, candle making, cattle rearing, and ginger and turmeric cultivation. Their crafted fabrics range from Fatua, towels, and thamis to frocks and blankets. In addition to these economic activities, they engage in social development endeavours such as offering training, supporting children's education expenses for impoverished families, and managing two private schools independently.

During a visit to the organisation's office in Gunguru Para on Wednesday, several women were observed diligently weaving clothes in a room with a thatched roof. Some were spinning yarn, others were collecting it in one place, and three were weaving clothes. Another woman was making candles in a separate room, while outside, ten more women were seen handling the financial ledger.

Khaisingnu Khyang, a cloth weaver, said she begins her workday at 7am and can complete one piece of cloth by 10am, and another by noon. If all preparations are ready, she can even weave three cloths by noon, but she often faces delays due to the scarcity of yarn.

Because of the yarn shortage, she has to spend eight days at home in the middle of the month, waiting for the thread to be delivered. Even when the thread is available, it takes time to prepare it for weaving, said Khaisingnu.

After noon, she does not engage in any more work and returns home to complete household chores.

She earns a monthly salary of Tk 8,000, which she uses to support her parents and siblings.

Two of her sisters are in college, and one brother is in ninth grade. She pays for their education.

Abume Khyang, a spinning worker, shared that she used to work for other organisations while managing household chores at home. However, she often faced challenges in finding consistent work outside due to family responsibilities and her husband's irregular employment. She also has a child to care for.

Once struggling to provide even a single meal for her family, Abume now works at the association, pulling yarn with other members. She is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to her family's livelihood and regain her independence.

Thuij Khyang, another woman, shared that she lives with her daughter, two sons, and elderly mother in a dilapidated house. However, she expressed gratitude as the association constructed a fenced house with three rooms for her family last year at a cost of around Tk 100,000. Despite their financial struggles, she is immensely happy to have a new home.

The experiences of most women in this development organisation are quite similar.

Many mention a lack of specific skills and organisational challenges.

However, they all share a strong desire to work and support their families.

They take on the responsibility of their children's education and household expenses through sheer determination and hard work.

The Khyang women's development organisation provides the platform for them to achieve these goals.

A KHYANG WOMAN BEHIND THE SCENES

Hlakroipru Khyang, a government-employed school teacher, takes on the informal role of overseeing operations in the organisation.

She offers guidance and support to colleagues, with a particular focus on empowering women facing challenges.

Engaged in development initiatives, Hlakroipru collaborates with government departments.

She acknowledges the significant contribution made by Deputy Commissioner Mizanur Rahman in 2010, especially in establishing the organisation and fostering cooperation.

During the discussion with Hlakroipru, many aspects of the development organisation's activities came to light.

The harassment women workers encounter while trying to survive was highlighted, particularly the challenges they faced due to their marginalised status and organisational barriers.

The combined populations of Bandarban and Rangamati still amount to about 3,500.

Hlakroipru explained that the organisation was established to empower impoverished and vulnerable Khyang women.

She said that she was moved to take action after witnessing the struggles of women from her community during her first year of graduation.

She believes that significant change can occur if women are actively engaged in economic activities.

However, she also acknowledged the prevalence of many forms of verbal abuse and mistreatment that these women have to endure.

"Our development agency purchased a CNG-run autorickshaw, and one of our members learnt to drive it.

“Excitedly, some of us took a ride in the vehicle on the first day, exploring the nearby streets and parts of the Bandarban-Rangamati road, but not everyone in the neighbourhood, particularly some men, liked it.

The woman who drove faced the worst of it, she said.

"She suffered abuse from her husband, including insults and harassment. Despite efforts by the village leader and the organisation, including a trial, she had to stop driving the vehicle.”

“Eventually, we sold it. Despite the hurdles, our organisation persists in recruiting members, even if they undergo social trials intermittently. Our determination remains strong."

3 SCHOOLS, ONLY ON NATIONALISED

Hlakroipru says the school where she teaches was built under an initiative by their development agency. It was later nationalised.

The remote neighbourhood where the Khyang live has two other schools. One of them has four teachers. Each is paid Tk 7,000 a month. The school teaches children from the pre-primary to the fifth-grade level.

“We cultivated ginger and turmeric under our own initiative, but that year the price fell, so we could not make a profit. In fact, we had to count up our losses.

“Apart from this, we have given out loans of a maximum of Tk 15,000 for farmers to buy fertiliser, pesticides, and to cultivate agricultural land. Fifteen cows were bought at different times. The condition was that they had to return the principal amount once they sold them.”

“We pay for the admission and even pay the fees to fill up the forms of those children who come from families who have nothing or are in trouble. Last year, through funds from our organisation, 15 houses were renovated. Five tube wells were also built with the organisation’s money. Four have since stopped working, but one is still active. Every member of the organisation pays Tk 100 each month.”

PRESERVING KHYANG FASHION

Hlakroipru says that, in the past, the Khyang did not have their own fashion and everyone wore the thami made by the Marma.

But once they began to weave their own clothes, they developed their own fashion, she said. The dresses worn by Khyang women today are mostly woven by their development organisation.

They are woven by women of our organisation, Hlakrypru said. And that woven cloth is sold by the organisation’s workers in different neighbourhoods. They also set up stalls to sell the clothes at fairs in Bandarban, Chattogram and Dhaka. The proceeds from these sales goes to paying the organisation’s workers.

“There are still many limitations. We have a lack of capital. We cannot buy yarn. Without yarn, workers have nothing to do for eight to 10 days a month as we can’t give them work. At those times we send them to the different neighbourhoods to sell our old stock. We have to sell at a discount as we need the money. We will take up more income-generating activities in the future. We must develop the skills of our workers further. More training is needed.”

Uraching Khyang, the president of the Gunguru Para Tribal Women’s Development Organisation, says her organisation works for women.

It aims to make them self-reliant, she said. After all, not everyone has a good husband and Khyang women often have to face many forms of harassment at home. Instead, they can work at the organisation so they can run the family properly on their own.

Newcomers get about three months of training, she said.

THE ORGANISATION’S BENEFICIARIES WILL BECOME ITS SUPPORTERS

Atia Chowdhury, the deputy director of the Department of Women Affairs in the Bandarban District, said the Gunguru Para Tribal Women Development Organisation is officially registered with the department.

The Khyang are among the more marginalised of the communities in Bandarban and are few in number, she said. They have everything of their own, but still lag behind other communities.

The Department of Women Affairs is working for all these marginalised communities, she said.

“They are being engaged in income generation and educational development programmes. Every year, the government allocation is distributed to the registered organisations. Their activities proceed very transparently. The women of the Khyang community dream of equality between men and women. In the future, when we build a Smart Bangladesh with equality between men and women, they will also contribute with their talent and hard work.”

The ethnic minority families living in the hill tracts are largely free from patriarchal views, Atia said. However, elements of those views can be seen among the Khyang. But, women in those communities are trying to break free of these views. They are striving to establish themselves and empower women in society to put them on an equal footing.

They are doing this by stressing income-generating work and education, she said.

Atia says she welcomes the effort.

“I have told them that the obstacles that exist in society must be handled with tact and patience. I have heard that they face harassment and insults. But, one day, those they are working for will turn out to support them.”

[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi; editing by Shoumik Hassin]