Case 1: Domestic Violence
Phyu Phyu (name changed to protect the victim) when I met was just 25 years old but had been married for more than seven years. She lived in a small hut with her alcoholic husband and was beaten, abused and unloved.
Just 2-3 days ago, when we spoke to her, her husband abused her badly and smashed her head with an alochol bottle so she has a scar on her face. It hurts she says even when she turns her face. Now she is living with her very old parents who look very tied, worried and sad at the same time. They have been supporting her and giving her money all these years…
She was so hurt and lost that she was in no condition to share her stories with unknown strangers who came to listen to her story to understand more about the lives of the women like her so the neighbours volunteered to share her sad story and only then she voiced in..
Married at the age of 18, Phyu Phyu had a teenage pregnancy and unfortunately, for unknown reason, her first child did not survive after birth. Therefore, currently, she is a mother of only two young boys. The older us three and a half years old and the younger, a year a half.
During her pregnancy with her first child (technically second), she didn’t eat much and just rice and fish paste everyday, a staple food for the poor in the delta. She could only afford a curry every 15 days. However, the family was not facing a lot of financial and other difficulties so she could rest every now and then during her pregnancy. Thankfully, her child came out just fine and survived.
Things became slightly different during her pregnancy with her second child. Although she was eating the same things – no curry but rice and fish paste every day, she was not resting anymore. She was working so much in the fields as a daily laborer everyday to earn money to feed her child and when she had some more time, she sold BBQ field rats, fish and other things around the village. She worked so hard for the child and had no time to take care of herself.
Therefore, the second child was born underweight with just 4 pounds at birth and did not look normal at all (and has a big head). Although the first child was not malnourished when he was born, he was now. He was growing relatively slower than the children of his age.
Although the village had an Government Organization (NGO) that was supporting poor families with malnourished children, Pyu Phyu could not become a beneficiary as to be a beneficiary, the person had to attend health talks regularly given by the NGO. However, he husband for a long time did not allow her to attend these talks and threatened health volunteers with knife if they persuaded his wife to attend these talks.
However, neighbours did not give up. When the husband was away, the went to her house to explain the conditions of her children and the negative outcomes that could come form it in the future. Therefore, she started attending these health talks secretly when her husband was not at home.
As she was attending some health talks, she was starting to receive some benefits from an NGO – food for her children, some goats for the family to breed etc. But now the supply of food for the children has stopped because the children have not grown in more than 4 months and they have to see a doctor before they get more food supplies.
The health staff from the village are scared of taking her to the doctor because they are scared of the alcoholic husband…….
This is sadly an example of a poverty trap.
Poor = Malnourished = Slow Development of Brain = Few income generation opportunities = Poverty.
Case 2: Struggles of the Poor
When I was going to give birth, I quickly called the Traditional Birth Attendant (TBA) who came immediately but no matter how much I tried, the baby was just not coming out. So the TBA asked us to go to the hospital instead. We didn’t have money and there was no boat available at night at 9pm for rent to go to the hospital. The rich won’t take us to the hospital by boat either so we had to wait till the morning.
I thought we wouldn’t be able to make it anymore and the baby would die. Thank god the boat came at around 7 A.M and I reached the hospital by 8 A.M. I didn’t have money so I had to take money from my aunt on 20% interest per month. In total, I ended up using more than 100000 MMK (around 80$) at the hospital. As soon as I arrived the hospital, the doctor injected a medicine and I wanted to give birth. The child came out at 9:05 A.M. We had to keep beating him because he didn’t make any noise as he was feeling suffocated already.
I have now successfully paid back the debt and I did this buy saving every penny the husband earned after we got back from the hospital without eating much and by cutting and selling off my hair.
Things became slightly different during her pregnancy with her second child. Although she was eating the same things – no curry but rice and fish paste every day, she was not resting anymore. She was working so much in the fields as a daily labourer everyday to earn money to feed her child and when she had some more time, she sold BBQ field rats, fish and other things around the village.
Therefore, the second child was born underweight with just 4 pounds at birth and he did not look normal at all (and has a big head). Although the first child was not malnourished when he was born, he was now. He was growing relatively slower than the children of his age.
Her husband is alcoholic and even though there are health talks in the village, she is not allowed to attend and he threatens health volunteers with knife for taking her to the talks. So, she didn’t get the knowledge about keep gaps between babies and about the importance of Nutrition.
The second child doesn’t look normal and he was born underweight (4 pounds at birth). Although the first child was not malnourished when he was born, he is now. He is growing a more slower rate than children of his age.
As she was attending some health talks, she was starting to receive some benefits from an NGO – food for her children, some goats for the family to breed etc. But now the supply of food for the children has stopped because the children have not grown in more than 4 months and they have to see a doctor before they get more food supplies. The health staff from the village are scared of taking her to the doctor because they are scared of the alcoholic husband.
Just 2-3 days ago, her husband abused her badly and smashed her with an alochol bottle so she has a scar on her face. It hurts she says even when she turns her face. Now she is living with her very old parents who look very tied, worried and sad at the same time. They have been supporting her and giving her money all these years…
She is living a tough life but I hope she really sticks to the decision to separate with the husband.
Myanmar Economist 