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Sense of responsibility Craft making, get-togethers and medical camps are some of the various activities conducted by AWWA

‘Asha, Astha, Vishwas.’ These are the words that embody the spirit and the will that has motivated the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) into a force to be reckoned with. A strong sense of responsibility for the welfare of the soldier’s family constitutes a fundamental aspect of army life at all levels of command. This was the vision behind the conception of AWWA, which was officially registered as an NGO in 1966. A voluntary organisation, AWWA aims at the holistic development and well-being of the troops’ families and rehabilitation of war widows.

Says Zareena Hariz, president of the Pangode chapter of AWWA: “At the apex level, AWWA is headed by the wife of the incumbent Chief of Army Staff. Down the line are the presidents of the regional AWWA at the level of army command, below which function all corps and divisional wings of AWWA. Each of the wings provides facilities in army cantonments for the empowerment of army wives.”

She adds: “Most of our troops’ families hail from villages. We, at AWWA, encourage them to take up a vocation.

Our various programmes are aimed at instilling in them self sufficiency to combat any eventuality in life. Funds for our activities are garnered from canteen profits and contributions from units.”

The army apparatus has at its core a regiment or a battalion and it is here that welfare takes place at the grassroot level in the Family Welfare Centre (FWC). Here a team of officers’ wives maintain close interaction with the troops’ families.

The activities of AWWA, Pangode, are divided into six committees – vocational, educational, field area, ‘Veer Naris,’ health and hygiene and cultural, entertainment and awareness.

Vijayrekha Chowdhry, who heads the vocational committee, says: “We run job-oriented courses such as tailoring, candle-making, umbrella-making, soap-making and cooking, which are taught by professionals. We impress upon the women the benefits of learning a skill.”

Says Kaveri, wife of a soldier of the Madras Regiment: “Before signing up for the course at AAWA, I was timid. Now I have discovered that I have a flair for tailoring, and learning from a professional has worked wonders.”

The products that the women make at vocational classes are kept for sale on AWWA counters and proceedings from the sale are given back to them.

Year round courses in basic and advanced computers are conducted by the educational committee that includes weekend classes for kids as well. Children are also coached for entrance exams to Sainik/Military schools.

Says Kiran Mavi, Secretary of AWWA, Pangode, “We take the ‘all work no play’ theory seriously and so this committee also organises picnics and pleasure trips for the families.”

Regular health camps are carried out for the troops’ families, under the eye of the health and hygiene committee. Tests such as pap smear, mammography and general health check-ups are carried out on a regular basis.

The Field Area Committee oversees the well being of women whose husbands are posted in forward areas. Says Malti, whose husband is posted in a Counter Insurgency area: “These are hard times knowing that my husband is in a place where he is under constant threat. It is heartening to know that AWWA is keeping tabs on our welfare.”

Rehabilitation of war widows is paramount among the many activities of AWWA. Lalitamma Chothi, whose husband succumbed to shrapnel wounds in the 1965 war, is one of the many beneficiaries.

“AWWA maintains regular telephonic contact with us and there is a helpline for us to call in case of any exigency. Occasions like Vijay Diwas and AWWA Day help us to get together and also gives us a platform to air our problems,” she points out.

Adds Laila Hameed, whose husband fell to bullets while being part of the IPKF contingent in Sri Lanka: “My priority in life is to be informed and aware about the facilities and privileges that are available to me. Visits to Pangode on the invitation of the AWWA help me know about the same.”

Zarina who bids adieu to AWWA, Pangode, by the end of next month says, “I believe that the way AWWA has carved a niche is a harbinger of times to come. It would not be long before AWWA is self-sufficient.”

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