Guljan

My name is Gulja. My home is Naya. We are four brothers and two sisters. My mother takes stuff for women to sell in this area while my father shows scrolls and brings rice, etc. My brothers earn money driving cycle vans. My elder sister married in this neighborhood. That is why we know how to paint scrolls. Most women in this village know how to paint. MY sister, too. I picked it up from her. Nobody in my father’s family knew it. I had never painted when I was there. Before my marriage in this village, I didn’t know how to paint. I’ve recently joined the committee. There are 15 of us. I’m learning to sing a little. I don’t know much since my husband never allowed me to participate. I wanted to go to the medical program recently but he didn’t let me. He said, “Who will look after your children?” I have to tend to the 2 goats as well. Who will take care of my young children when my husband goes out? I must do it.

We are in a terrible state. Since there is hardly any income we can barely manage to eat every day. I have 5 daughters. How can I arrange their marriages? I have managed to marry off one. Her husband lives with us. I’ve given my second daughter in marriage to the house opposite ours, but we haven’t met their demands in full. We have begged from others and given part. Her husband’s family still gets a lot from us. How can I run my family if I don’t get cash? My husband has no interest unless he gets cash from the sales. He hardly gives time to paint scrolls but tries to find other ways of income. All of us must eat. I paint here now and am learning to sing in the women’s committee. Now I’m learning properly. I’ve learned to paint a little. I’m being trained. My husband didn’t allow me to join the medical program nearby. He said it was because my children were very young and there was no one to look after them.