Ukwazisa Abesifazane Nomsebenzi Abawenzayo

EMINYAKENI engu-3000 edlule, indoda okuthiwa uLemuweli yachaza umfazi onekhono ngendlela enhle kakhulu. Lokhu kulotshwe eBhayibhelini kuzAga isahluko 31. Owesifazane uLemuweli atusa izimfanelo zakhe wayematasa ngempela. Wayenakekela umkhaya wakhe, ehweba emakethe, ethenga futhi ethengisa indawo, ethungela umkhaya wakhe izingubo zokugqoka futhi esebenza emasimini.

Lona wesifazane wayengathathwa nje kalula. ‘Abantwana bakhe bathi ubusisiwe, nomyeni wakhe uyamdumisa.’ Umfazi onjalo uyigugu. IBhayibheli lithi, “Inani lakhe lidlula kakhulu amarubi.”—IzAga 31:10-28, New International Version.

Kusukela ngesikhathi sikaLemuweli, umsebenzi wabesifazane uye waba yinkimbinkimbi kakhulu. Njengoba befeza indima yabo ekhulwini lama-20 ngokuvamile kudingeka babe amakhosikazi, omama, abahlengikazi, abafundisi, abondli nabalimi—konke ngasikhathi sinye. Abesifazane abaningi bazidela kakhulu ukuze nje baqikelele ukuthi abantwana babo banokudla okwanele. Ingabe bonke laba besifazane akufanelwe baziswe futhi badunyiswe?

Abesifazane Abangabondli

Namuhla abesifazane abaningi kunanini ngaphambili kudingeka babe nomsebenzi wokuziphilisa ukuze basize ekondleni imikhaya yabo noma bawukuphela kwabondli emikhayeni yabo. Incwadi ethi Women and the World Economic Crisis iphawula ngombiko owathi: “Umsebenzi wasekhaya akuwona kuphela umsebenzi owenziwa abesifazane. Bambalwa kakhulu abesifazane noma kuphi emhlabeni abangathi ‘bangomama nje basekhaya.’” Futhi umsebenzi wabesifazane awubona ngempela ubukhazikhazi. Nakuba omagazini noma imidlalo yethelevishini ewuchungechunge kungase kuveze abesifazane bengabaphathi abasebenza emahhovisi kanokusho, ngokuvamile iqiniso liphambene kakhulu nalokho. Iningi labesifazane emhlabeni likhandleka amahora amaningi ukuze lithole umvuzo omncane wezinto ezibonakalayo.

Amakhulu ezigidi zabesifazane asebenza emasimini, etshala izilimo, enakekela izivande zomkhaya, noma elusa imfuyo. Lo msebenzi—ngokuvamile ongakhokheli ngokwanele noma ongakhokheli nhlobo—wondla ingxenye yabantu bomhlaba. “E-Afrika, ukudla okungamaphesenti angu-70 kutshalwa abesifazane, e-Asia isibalo singamaphesenti angu-50 kuya kwangu-60 kanti eLatin America singamaphesenti angu-30,” kubika incwadi ethi Women and the Environment.

Uma abesifazane benomsebenzi oholelayo, ngokuvamile bahola imali encane kuneyamadoda, ngenxa nje yokuthi bangabantu besifazane. Lolu bandlululo alubekezeleleki ikakhulukazi kumama owondla yedwa, isimo esesithanda ukuvama. Umbiko weZizwe Ezihlangene ulinganisela ukuthi amaphesenti aphakathi kwangu-30 nangu-50 ayo yonke imikhaya e-Afrika, eCaribbean naseLatin America athembele kowesifazane njengomondli osemqoka. Kanti ngisho nasemazweni asethuthukile, inani elandayo labesifazane kuye kwadingeka libe abondli abasemqoka.

Ubumpofu bezindawo zasemaphandleni emazweni amaningi asathuthuka benza lesi simo sibe bucayi nakakhulu. Indoda ekuthola kunzima njalo ukondla umkhaya wayo ingase inqume ukuthuthela edolobheni eliseduze noma ngisho nakwelinye izwe iyofuna umsebenzi. Ishiya umkayo ukuba anakekele umkhaya. Uma ibe nenhlanhla yokuthola umsebenzi, ithumela imali ekhaya. Kodwa nakuba inezisusa ezinhle, ngokuvamile lokhu akube kusaqhubeka. Umkhaya ewushiyile ungase udonse kanzima, bese inhlalakahle yawo ixhomeka kumama.

Lesi simo esibucayi, esichazwa kahle ngokuthi “ubumpofu babesifazane,” sithwesa izigidi zabesifazane umthwalo onzima. “Imikhaya ephethwe omama, okulinganiselwa ukuthi iyingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu emikhayeni esemhlabeni, isengozini yokuba mpofu kakhulu kunaleyo ephethwe obaba, futhi inani lemikhaya enjalo liyanda,” kuchaza incwadi ethi Women and Health. Kodwa nakuba kunzima, ukulungiselela ukudla akuyona kuphela inselele abesifazane ababhekana nayo.

Omama Abangabafundisi

Umama kudingeka anakekele nenhlalakahle engokomzwelo yabantwana bakhe. Ufeza indima ebalulekile ekusizeni umntwana afunde ngothando—izifundo ezibaluleke njengokwanelisa izidingo zakhe ezingokwenyama. Ukuze abe umuntu omdala olinganiselayo, umntwana kudingeka akhulele endaweni efudumele nelondekile. Nalapha futhi, indima kamama ibaluleke kakhulu.

Encwadini ethi The Developing Child, uHelen Bee uyabhala: “Umama onomusa uyayikhathalela ingane, ubonisa uthando, njalo ubeka izidingo zengane kuqala, ubonisa intshiseko ngezinto ezenziwa umntwana, futhi usabela ngozwela emizweni yomntwana.” Abantwana abaye bathola uthando olunjalo kumama obakhathalelayo ngokuqinisekile kufanele bambonise ukuthi banokwazisa.—IzAga 23:22.

Ngokuncelisa, omama abaningi banikeza abantwana babo indawo enemfudumalo kusukela lapho bezalwa. Ikakhulukazi emikhayeni empofu ubisi lukamama luyisipho esiyigugu angasinikeza umntanakhe. (Bheka ibhokisi elisemakhasini 10-11.) Ngokuthakazelisayo, iBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wafanisa uthando lwakhe olumnene ngamaKristu aseThesalonika nothando ‘lukamama oncelisayo obanakekela ngesisa abantwana bakhe.’—1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8.

Ngaphandle kokondla nokunakekela abantwana bakhe, umama ngokuvamile ungumfundisi wabo oyinhloko. “Ndodana yami, yizwa ukulaya kukayihlo, ungawushiyi umthetho kanyoko,” kululeka iBhayibheli, libhekisela engxenyeni enkulu efezwa omama ekufundiseni abantwana babo. (IzAga 1:8) Ngokuvamile kuba umama noma ukhulu oba nesineke sokufundisa umntwana ukukhuluma, ukuhamba nokwenza imisebenzi yasendlini nezinye izinto eziningi.

Kudingeka Ububele Kakhulu

Esinye sezipho ezinkulu abesifazane abangasinikeza imikhaya yabo ububele. Uma ilungu lomkhaya ligula, umama uba umhlengikazi, kuyilapho eqhubeka enakekela yonke eminye imithwalo yakhe yemfanelo. “Eqinisweni, abesifazane yibona abakhathalela impilo yabanye kakhulu emhlabeni,” kuchaza incwadi ethi Women and Health.

Ububele bukamama bungase bumshukumisele nasekutheni adle kancane ukuze abantwana bakhe bangabulawa yindlala. Abacwaningi baye bathola ukuthi abanye besifazane bacabanga ukuthi badla ngokwanele, nakuba bengondlekile kahle. Sebejwayele kakhulu ukuphakela kakhulu amadoda nabantwana kangangokuba uma nje besenamandla okusebenza bazibheka njengabantu abondlekile.

Ngezinye izikhathi ububele bowesifazane bubonakala ngokukhathalela kwakhe indawo ezungezile. Leyo ndawo ibalulekile kuye, ngoba naye uyahlupheka lapho isomiso, ukwanda kwezingwadule nokugawulwa kwamahlathi kucekela phansi izwe. Kwelinye idolobhana laseNdiya, abesifazane bathukuthela bagan’unwabu lapho bezwa ukuthi inkampane eyenza ifenisha yayizogawula imithi engaba ngu-2500 ehlathini abakhe ngakulo. Laba besifazane babezidinga lezo zihlahla ukuze bathole ukudla, izinkuni zokubasa nefolishi lemfuyo. Lapho abagawuli befika, bathola abesifazane sebelindile, bebambene ngezandla bezungeze izihlahla. Batshela abagawuli ukuthi, ‘Kuyomelwe nisinqume amakhanda uma nifuna ukugawula le mithi.’ Leli hlathi lasinda.

“Mnike Umvuzo Awusebenzele”

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ufeza indima yokuba umondli, umama, umfundisi, noma uwumthombo wobubele, owesifazane ufanelwe yinhlonipho nodumo, njengoba kunjalo nangomsebenzi wakhe. Indoda ehlakaniphile uLemuweli, eyababaza umfazi onekhono, yayikwazisa kokubili umsebenzi wowesifazane neseluleko sakhe. Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli lichaza ukuthi umyalezo wayo wawuthathwe ngokuyinhloko eziyalweni eyayizinikezwe unina. (IzAga 31:1) ULemuweli wayazi kahle ukuthi inkosikazi enobuhlakani futhi engumama kufanele yaziswe. Wabhala: “Mnike umvuzo awusebenzele. Imisebenzi yakhe iyamdumisa.”—IzAga 31:31, NIV.

Nokho, lapho uLemuweli ebhala lawo mazwi, ayengewona nje umqondo womuntu. Alotshwe eBhayibhelini, eliyiZwi likaNkulunkulu. “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Lawo mazwi aveza umbono kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke ngabesifazane, njengoba uNkulunkulu aphefumulela lawo mavesi aseBhayibhelini ukuze asifundise.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, iZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe lithi amadoda kufanele ‘anike omkawo udumo.’ (1 Petru 3:7) Kanti kweyabase-Efesu 5:33, indoda itshelwa ukuthi: “Lowo nalowo kini makamthande kanjalo umkakhe njengoba ezithanda yena.” Eyabase-Efesu 5:25 ithi: “Madoda, qhubekani nithanda omkenu, njengoba nje noKristu alithanda ibandla futhi wazinikela ngenxa yalo.” Yebo, uKristu wabonisa uthando olunjalo ngabalandeli bakhe kangangokuba wayezimisele ukubafela. Yeka isibonelo esihle, esingenabugovu asibekela amadoda! Futhi izindinganiso uJesu azifundisa futhi waphila ngazo zazibonakalisa izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu, ezilotshwe eBhayibhelini ukuze zisizuzise.

Nokho, naphezu komsebenzi onzima ohlukahlukene abawenzayo, abesifazane abaningi abavamile ukuthola udumo ngalokho abakwenzayo. Bangasithuthukisa kanjani isimo sabo ngisho namanje? Ingabe akhona amathuba okuba indlela ababhekwa ngayo ishintshe? Ayini amathemba abesifazane esikhathi esizayo?

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 10, 11]

Izindlela Ezintathu Owesifazane Angathuthukisa Ngazo Isimo Sakhe

Imfundo. Kunabesifazane abangaba yizigidi ezingu-600 abangafundile emhlabeni—abaningi kubo abangakaze balubhade esikoleni. Kungenzeka nawe awutholanga imfundo eyanele, kodwa lokho akusho ukuthi awunakuzifundisa. Akulula, kodwa abesifazane abaningi baye baphumelela. “Izizathu ezingokwenkolo zingafeza indima ebalulekile ekushukumiseni abantu abadala ukuba bathole imfundo,” kuchaza incwadi ethi Women and Literacy. Ukukwazi ukuzifundela iBhayibheli kuwumvuzo omuhle wokufunda ukuzifundela. Kodwa kunezinye izinzuzo eziningi.

Akukhona nje ukuthi umama ofundile unamathuba angcono emisebenzi, kodwa futhi angafunda nemikhuba emihle yempilo. Isifundazwe saseKerala eNdiya siyiveza kahle inzuzo yemfundo. Nakuba lesi sifunda sinezinga eliphansi leholo, abesifazane bakhona abangamaphesenti angu-87 bafundile. Ngokuthakazelisayo, kuso lesi sifundazwe ukufa kwezinsana kuphansi ngokuphindwe kahlanu kunakwezinye izindawo zaseNdiya; ngokwesilinganiso, abesifazane baphila iminyaka engu-15 ngaphezu kwesikhathi esivamile; futhi wonke amantombazane ayafunda esikoleni.

Ngokuvamile, umama ofundile ukhulisa isifiso sokufunda kubantwana bakhe—okungewona umsebenzi omncane. Ukufundisa amantombazane kuwukubekelela ikusasa okuhle kakhulu. Incwadi ye-United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ethi The State of the World’s Children 1991 iphawula ukuthi akukho okunye okunamandla amakhulu kangaka okuthuthukisa impilo yomkhaya nokuthuthukisa ukuphila kwabesifazane ngokwako. Akungabazeki ukuthi amakhono okufunda nokubhala ayokusiza ube umama nomondli ongcono.a

Impilo. Njengomama, kufanele uzinakekele, ikakhulukazi uma ukhulelwe noma ungumdlezane. Ungakuthuthukisa yini ukudla okudlayo? Cishe abesifazane abakhulelwe abayizingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu e-Afrika kanye naseningizimu nasentshonalanga ye-Asia banesifo sokuntuleka kwegazi. Ngaphandle kokukuthena amandla, isifo sokuntuleka kwegazi sandisa izingozi ezihlobene nokubeletha futhi sifaka umuntu engozini yokuba nomalaleveva. Nakuba kungenzeka inyama noma inhlanzi kube yindlala noma kubize, amaqanda nezithelo ezinezakhi zokusansimbi noma imifino kungase kutholakale. Ungavumeli inkolelo-ze ikuvimbele ekudleni ukudla okunomsoco, futhi ungavumeli amasiko endawo akuphuce ukudla komkhaya okufanele ukujabulele.b

Ukuncelisa kukulungele wena nomntanakho. Ubisi lwebele alubizi, luhlanzekile, futhi londla ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye. I-UNICEF ilinganisela ukuthi kungagwenywa ukufa kwezinsana eziyisigidi ngonyaka uma omama bengancelisa abantwana izinyanga zokuqala ezine kuya kweziyisithupha zokuphila kwabo. Yiqiniso, uma umama enesifo esithathelwanayo okwaziwayo ukuthi sidluliswa ngokuncelisa, khona-ke kufanele kusetshenziswe enye indlela yokondla umntwana.

Qikelela ukuthi kunomoya owanele uma uphekela eziko endlini. “Ukuchayeka entuthwini nasemusini onobuthi lapho upheka cishe kuyingozi engokwempilo enkulu eyaziwayo namuhla,” kuxwayisa incwadi ethi Women and Health.

Ungawubhemi ugwayi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ucindezelwa kangakanani. Ukukhangisa ngogwayi okuyekelelwe emazweni asathuthuka kuhlasela abesifazane, kuzama ukubabonisa ukuthi uma ubhema uhlakaniphile. Lawo amanga aluhlaza. Ukubhema kulimaza abantwana bakho futhi kungakubulala. Kulinganiselwa ukuthi ingxenye yesine yabo bonke abantu ababhemayo igcina ibulawe ukulutha kukagwayi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ochwepheshe baxwayisa ngokuthi maningi amathuba okuba umuntu oqalayo ukubhema abe umlutha kagwayi.

Inhlanzeko. Isibonelo sakho neseluleko ngokuphathelene nenhlanzeko kubalulekile empilweni yomkhaya wakho. Incwadi ethi Facts for Life ibala izinyathelo ezilandelayo eziyisisekelo zokulondoloza inhlanzeko:

• Geza izandla zakho ngensipho namanzi ngemva kokuzikhulula nangaphambi kokuba uthinte ukudla. Qikelela ukuba abantwana bakho bayazigeza izandla ngaphambi kokuba badle.

• Sebenzisa indlu yangasese enomgodi, futhi uyigcine ihlanzekile futhi ivaliwe. Uma lokhu kungenakwenzeka, zikhululele kude nasendlini, futhi ugqibe indle ngokushesha.—Qhathanisa noDuteronomi 23:12, 13.

• Zama ukusebenzisa amanzi ahlanzekile ekhaya. Ukuze wenze lokhu, gcina imithombo ivaliwe futhi usebenzise izitsha ezihlanzekile zokukha amanzi.

• Uma ungenawo amanzi aphuzwayo ahlanzekile, bilisa amanzi bese uwayeka aphole ngaphambi kokuwaphuza. Nakuba amanzi engase abonakale ehlanzekile, kusengenzeka anamagciwane.

• Khumbula ukuthi ukudla okungaphekiwe kungase kudlulise amagciwane. Ukudla okungaphekwa kufanele kugezwe ngaphambi kokuba kudliwe futhi kudliwe ngokushesha ngangokunokwenzeka. Okunye ukudla kufanele kuphekisiswe, ikakhulukazi inyama yenkomo neyenkukhu.

• Gcina ukudla kuhlanzekile futhi kumboziwe ukuze izinambuzane noma izilwane zingakungcolisi.

• Shisa noma ugqibe imfucumfucu yasendlini.c

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Abesifazane abaningi emazweni aseNtshonalanga basebenza emahhovisi

[Isithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Abesifazane abaningi basebenza ezimweni ezingahlanzekile

[Umthombo]

Godo-Foto

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Omama bangabafundisi ekhaya