Turn trash to treasure
On the 12th day of the lock-down, I actually wanted to talk to Tosin about domestic violence. But instead I got information on a different and also very pressing topic: The hunt for food.
But first about Tosin, a very interesting woman and founder of the organization “Turn Trash To Treasure”. Tosin completed the kanthari course in 2013 and since then she has been working with women and girls who have been affected by domestic violence. Her passion to do this work was a result of personal experience.
Tosin had opened my eyes seven years ago when she made it clear to me that good education and financial independence alone are not enough to protect women from domestic violence. And she knows what she’s talking about. As a child, she had received advice from her mother: “Make sure that you are well educated and financially self-sufficient, then you will not be thwarted by your husband!”
So, Tosin studied diligently, found a lucrative job, married as a financially independent woman and… one day, she woke up in the hospital. She had been beaten up by her husband so badly, that the doctor had to fight to save her life. She survived, initially as a broken woman. I remember her telling me about a walk she took through a slum in Lagos: “Everywhere there was waste, pieces of metal, wood, fabrics, glass, simply trashed.”
She described how she was about to kick a piece of Styrofoam… But then she stopped and picked it up. Suddenly she became aware of something. She felt strangely “connected” to this piece of trash that was carelessly thrown away and took the piece home. There she thought of what could be done with it… She sewed large bags from old pieces of fabric, rubbed the Styrofoam into a million small pieces and filled the cloth bags. What was trash before became a useful and valuable product, a wonder bag that women use to cook food. And this was the birth of her organisation Turn Trash To Treasure!
She gave us one of these wonder bags and we still use it to keep ice cream cold on the way home from the store.
Tosin’s project has benefited and empowered 6000+ women till date. They are given skills so they can earn and can stand their ground against their husbands. “We had to painstakingly learn what it is like to be valuable.” She said.
When I asked her if she could send me some information about domestic violence in times of the Corona, she wrote:
“When the Corona crisis started, I went to Ibasa, where we have a transformation center with 3 houses. It has been hectic. We were providing meals for girls and women. Now, it is no longer safe to do that. Last week until yesterday, we were baking bread at night and distributing it during the day, every day. I am so tired. It is good bread, filled with egg and fish. And raw food for women in need. The major problem is hunger among my communities. We started with 500 breads per day. Now its reduced to 300. But to be honest, I am tired. We ensured to officials that we practice social distancing. But then suddenly hundreds of women showed up. They wanted to push down our gate because they heard that they could get free food. At one point, I became afraid and to protect ourselves I could only lock the gate.
Sabriye Ma, don’t worry about me, I am not hungry (yet)!”
More info about Tosin’s work can be found at: http://5tsglobal.wordpress.com/