Building Women’s Writing Habit from Aceh to The World

Some famous writers may say that writing is easy. There is nothing wrong with these sayings. It may be easy because the writer is skilful and writing has become a habit in his life. But, what about those people who do not have enough knowledge and less access to media, such as women? The answer must be different. When we are discussing about the differences, there will some factors included in the factors. One of the factors is the gender inequality between man and women in accessing the media. More people say that women have less access to public media such as newspapers, magazines, etc. This limited access has caused very few women can write in the public media which are published in Indonesia to day. May be this statement is debatable. But, however the facts show that very few women to day can write in the public media, even the local media. Most spaces in the media written by men. Women have become a silence majority.

Factually, women as the major population in Aceh and also in Indonesia are potential resources and stakeholders in media. The reality is that the number of women in Aceh is bigger than men. More than 53 percents of the populations are women. Even they are big, they are voiceless or soundless, because they have been marginalized and ignored or tends to be neglected. The fact also shows that women face various and big problems in their life, but the problems just being hidden. Every thing seems left in the silence. It is a big problem that should be solved by women. Even, women also potential as the consumers of the media and also as the contributors in colouring media with women are writing. Unfortunately, most women do not utilize the spaces in the printed media because of some obstacles.

Building the bridge to public media

Knowing that women are the potential group and strategic in building writing habit, Centre for Community Development and Education (CCDE) Banda Aceh, is building a bridge for women to covey them to the public media by building writing habit among women. This big dream appeared based on the reality above. CCDE tries to break the silence and solves the problems of women by building women’s writing habit. Firstly designed in 2001 but it became reality in 2003, supported by WDP Germany. Here, the women were trained for three days with knowledge and skills in creative writing. The results of the training, more women can write creatively and it encouraged CCDE publishes a women magazine as the learning and advocacy media.

Then, one year after tsunami disaster, CCDE got financial support from Hivos to build the women’s writing habit. The grant was allocated for running serial of creative writing training, monthly discussions and publication. 100 women from 7 districts were trained during the program. After the training, women in field are involved actively in the monthly discussions for sharpening and encouraging women to write. So, the discussion forum is the medium for practicing women to communicate orally and written.

Some good progresses achieved and some changes happened. POTRET is published monthly and the number increases from 1000 to 2000 and this month increases to be 3000 copies. The lay out, number of pages, the colours, the size and also the contributors of the articles also increase every month. The distribution is also broader until to 12 districts in Aceh, and out of Aceh. POTRET to day is available at the bookstores. Women’s participation build POTRET sustainability is high now.

The happiest progress and challenges

Progress and challenges may come together. There are progresses and there are also challenges. Therefore, in building women’s writing habit, there are some challenges faced. At least there are four challenges that we face to implement this program. First, there are big demands of women to have more knowledge to have skills and writing and more people want to have training on writing. And this demand should be accommodated further. Second, the consequences of improving the quality and increasing the numbers of pages and copies require more funds. Third, since POTRET is also distributed to many organizations out of Banda Aceh, it spends more money for delivering costs. Fourth, In order to motivate women to write, we provide incentive the contribution but it is still very small, we need to increase until Rp. 100.000,- for one article.

There is a will, there is a way

It is common in every work we do we have progresses, challenges and even the problems. But, we believe with what the wise word says that, there is a will, there is a way. Therefore, so far we have done some strategic steps for overcoming those challenges and problems. Some of the ways are inviting organizations to promote their work and organizations in POTRET magazine. We invite readers to pay every copies of POTRE. We also invite organizations/individuals to subscribe the magazine for one year subscriptions and asking supports from those who may concern on this work. Shortly, we raise the fund in various ways for the sustainability of publishing POTRET now and in the future. This is one of the ways to build women’s writing habit.

From Aceh to the World

The great step has been made by POTRET in order to reach more readers, contributors in Indonesia and overseas. One of the steps made is building more collaboration with women’s groups who have the same concern in writing skills and in building writing habit for women’s groups in Indonesia and also the world. Now the readers and the contributors of POTRET magazine are not only women in Aceh but spread away in other provinces and worldwide.

As the media published in Aceh as local region in Indonesia, now POTRET belongs to more people from Aceh to the world. POTRET invites your contribution to keep it sustainable in the future, as the media of learning, campaign and promoting women’s rights. You can be as the contributors. Do it now.

Contact me : potret.ccde@gmail.com