The dignity of older women

Artist: rochelle
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Card: US$3.71

The dignity of older women

We hear on a regular basis the difficulty women have in countries like India. Much of what we hear is about dowries and the difficulty young women have in their husbands families.

I was working with an NGO group in the state of Tamil Nadu, when i was told about a group of older women who visit once a week to receive a bag of food supplies including a big bag of rice. The reason they do this is that they live in their sons households, but have no means to financially contribute to the household. This often causes friction, particularly between themselves and their daughter-in-law, and could result in them having to leave – with no where to go but the streets.

So the NGO group keeps them well supplied and hopefully housed.

The dignity of older women belongs to the following groups:

Amazing Asia, Compassion, Courage & Friendship, Everyday Life and Incredible India

sharrukina malek, 6 months ago

i was wonderring if you sell these outside of this site. you could sell them through the ngos and give a percentage of your profits to help these communities. though i believe that working there already you have done alot. what a great job.
rochelle in reply to sharrukina malek’s comment, 6 months ago

Thanks sharrukina. I do sell my photos as cards at other outlets and at markets as I am fundraising for a primary school and health centre for a village in Bangladesh. These photos as cards do not sell as well at markets as people want to give them as birthday etc type cards and who wants an old woman or man on them – so i do a lot of photographs that are just simply for cards without the emotion tied to them. But my love is taking portrait photos of people in the street or in their communities. The same as your photos of the turkish women (and the one with your mum) it is much more engaging (and you can see that come out in the studies) and the best thing about photography.

cheers Rochelle
DiannaLee, 6 months ago

thank you for sharing this…..she is stunning! The story is moving….:)
rochelle in reply to DiannaLee’s comment, 5 months ago

thankyou – glad you enjoyed it
nesi, 5 months ago

thank you for sharing these pictures and stories.
rochelle in reply to nesi’s comment, 5 months ago

thankyou nesi
Nancy Fischer, 5 months ago

This is a very moving story. I am happy to see that these women seem to keep their dignity in spite of their challenges as they are all wrapped in beautiful cloth, hair combed and jewelry in place. Dignity in spite of the odds. Powerful women.
rochelle in reply to Nancy Fischer’s comment, 5 months ago

thankyou Nancy – sorry it has taken a few days to get back to you
inge, 5 months ago

very nice ! inge :)