Angels of Palermo - Part 3

The Dutch feminist magazine OPZIJ talks to Osas Egbon, Maria Chiara Monti and Masuma Akther who, despite the setbacks, engage on bettering the life of women in Palermo. For Lost in Europe, we translated the series.

A few years ago, the Bangladeshi Masuma Akther (1981) moved with her husband to Palermo to give her children a better life. Now, she volunteers at Centro Penc, and gives computer science classes. “I want to learn the women computer skills, but also to empower the inner strength of themselves.”

When Akther got married as an eighteen-year-old, she seems to be housebound. She was not allowed to work and she needed to stay home from her husband. “My father would not allow me to develop. Even less when I got married. But I thought: my life is not over yet. My book is not written yet. I want to change this. How am I able to change my life?”

While her husband moves to Palermo and visits her only two or three months a year, Ather shoots her shot. “I felt lonely. I got permission to follow an education, but I wanted to get everything out of my life. I followed a course visage and got work as a make-up artist and got hired for weddings. Later on, I worked at a tv-show where I made everyone camera-ready.” Meanwhile, she gives birth to two children and gets more motivated to develop herself.

After a few weeks of work, Akther saved enough money to buy a computer. “Women in my country are afraid to work with a computer. They are scared to break the device. My brother and husband did not have the time to help me, so I followed a computer-class.” During the classes, she picked up the information very quickly.  “It was a turning point.” Akther learned the tricks of Photoshop and video-editing. “I used technology to move forward and started my own business online. I thought: this is in the interest of every women. But how can I pass on this information?”

In Palermo, she gets in contact with Maria Chiara Monti, and joins Centro Pencs community. “Maria asked me if I wanted to give the women computer science classes.” In this class, Akther shares her experiences. “It is not just a computer course. It is a way to find strength, to take back your own life and do something for yourself.” She still works in secret, she tells us, because her husband does not like it when she works a lot. “I will not let it stop me. Every day, we step a bit further. Women sacrifice everything. For their kids, for their family. I want to help these women to step up. They can use the information I give them for themselves. Like a job application. They like doing it and they make it work.”

This production has been made as parts of VersPers Reizen. Made possible by the Steunfonds Freelance Journalisten.