Joanneema Laiser was born in Tanzania and is traveling for us in the Nyangao region to educate women about their rights.

During one of her visits, she met 26-year-old Jamila Cleofasi. She separated from her husband in July 2022 because he refused to pay the necessary maintenance for their family of four. After the separation, he immediately married another woman, now lives with her and has completely distanced himself from his other family.

Jamila is now alone with her two small children. A very difficult fate in an area where there is little social help, the population is already very poor and single mothers are not well regarded in society. But Jamila is strong: she shows a tremendous will to provide for her small family herself and tries everything to set up her own small business. Her commitment is admirable and Joanneema naturally supports this endeavor as best she can. Nevertheless, she also recognizes the great difficulties that the mother faces, because children of divorced parents not only need enough to eat, but also a great deal of love, affection and psychological care. A mother who is busy earning money from morning to night cannot possibly provide all of this.

Joanneema has therefore drawn her attention to the fact that, despite the divorce, it is still the father's duty to look after his children. In order to assert this right, she has found a lawyer for Jamila who will now take up the matter.

The young woman is very lucky to have found someone in Joanneema who helps her to set up a small business and stand on her own two feet. On the other hand, she also ensures that the justice system intervenes to help the family. Today - six months after their separation - she receives the necessary maintenance payments from the father of the children: this means that Jamila will be able to earn her own money in future and still have time for her children.

The work of Joanneema Laiser is part of our 'Women Empowerment' initiative, which has its origins in the "Community Healthcare project" started by Geni Mabelya. The two women travel monthly to four to six villages in the area around the St. Walburg’s Hospital to teach women and young families about proper nutrition, rights and preventive health options (e.g. cervical screening). The project has been running since the start of 2021.