An Interview with the president of the Women of the OMU, Mrs. Dioselinda Iza

FUNDACION ECUMENICA PARA EL DESARROLLO

INTEGRAL CAPACITACIÓN - EDUCACIÓN (FEDICE)

Cdla. "La Ofelia" Mz. O Nº OE4-40 Phone (593-2) 259-8558

vicvaci@andinanet.net P.O. Box : 17-11-4829

Quito - Ecuador

HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WOMEN

THE UNOCANC, OMU

This is an interview carried out by Marco Garzon, Engineer of the FEDICE,

with the president of the Women of the OMU, Mrs. Dioselinda Iza

She told us the following things

"The Organization of the Women of UNOCANC, OMU, began in the year of 1.983, as part of the UNOCANC. The UNOCANC is the Union of Rural Organizations in the North of Cotopaxi."

Dioselinda continued saying that: "Two reasons were important for the birth of our organization (OMU):

  1. The women wanted to participate actively in the development of our families and communities. We didn't want to be dominated by the "machismo" of the men. We wanted an equal treatment.
  2. Another reason that forced the women to get organized was the need to unite forces to support and stop the abuse of some husbands. This is because in our tradition the husband is boss of the home he can attack his wife for any reason, be he sober or drunk

In 1.983 two groups of women from Wintza and San Ignacio communities with 30 members initiated the organization. These groups carried out mingas (traditional collective work), one day they worked in the house of a partner, another day in another and so forth. The work was especially in agriculture (sowing, cutting grass, etc.); this was good because it allowed them to advance quicker in the work. Sometimes one day was enough to cut the grass, and to plant 2 hectares of potatoes, for example. All the women brought "cucayo" (grains cooked for the lunch) and in this way the owner of the property didn't have to spend money on food. She was limited to offer chicha (traditional beverage made of corn) or some soda.

After some time, these groups requested help for the Project to Integral Rural Development organization, that there was in those years. They helped with training, agriculture and cattle raising. The following year (1984) the community Vicente León joined the group; and with them we continue working with mingas in each community. But, after some months there was no continuity; problems were presented because of inequality in the work and not adhering to schedules.

After ten years other communities asked for membership in our organization. The Organization of the Women, OMU; got a small house. We got this house with the support of an organization call CESA 14 years ago. At that time we were 3 groups with some 60 women. In this house we carried out our meetings. But with time the number of members increased and they strengthened the organization. In 2002, we had 16 organizations and the house became very small, and was in poor condition.

For this reason the leaders of the OMU presided by me (Dioselinda Iza) presented a project to FEDICE to reconstruct the first floor and to build a second floor. The project was studied by the Director of the FEDICE, Victor Vaca, and approved by the directory of FEDICE. Then FEDICE looked for financing and got $6,000.00 dollars from the United Church of Christ, from the Conference of South Illinois. Also a group of brothers and sisters came to help us in the construction and they also brought a medical caravan to work in the communities of Toacazo and Planchaloma. This medical caravan gave medicines gratis to the patients.

FEDICE began its work with our Organization of Women of the Unocanc, OMU, in 1998. A project began " To combat against Hunger" always thinking of supporting our women to get out of poverty with the creation of work . It began with projects of economic production. They helped us with guinea pigs, rabbits, the raising and cultivation of white onions, using organic agriculture. Then we continued with a project of "Genetic Improvement of Sheep". With technical and financial assistance we have improved our family income; and we have created a revolving fund in each community. This economic capital has been good for us; so we have started our small credit unions. At the same time we help the families we also are increasing the capital for the cooperative

As I already said, the house of our Organization was built 14 years ago, but with time it was deteriorating and too small. With the help of FEDICE and the United Church of Christ, of Illinois they built the walls, new columns and part of the second floor, But the construction was big and they couldn't finish.

Then the board of directors of the OMU, with its president requested the Government of the Province to finish the construction. The Government of the Province, FEDICE and the OMU met together to talk about the construction. As a result, the Head of the Province, Mr. Cesar Umajinga, decided to give all the economic resources to finish the construction.

It is good to remember that the mission group of the United Church of Christ (UCC) of Illinois was completely devoted to work in the construction. Regrettably our women and men could not work as we had thought, because the Province went on strike. All the activities and roads were paralyzed, demanding human rights,, jobs to meet our basic needs, education, health, and housing. So the women suffered a lot because they could not participate the whole time in the construction of the house. For this reason we apologize to the entire UCC mission group because the work didn't come out in the way that we wanted. But thanks to FEDICE, the mission group and the Provincial Government our dream was realized

Then Dioselinda Iza, said:

"In the decade of the 90s an organizational crisis was presented diminishing the participation from 9 groups to 4, because of disagreements and false expectations of the institutions. Regrettably the President of the OMU, at that time, couldn't control the crisis and gave up her position.

Then we reactivated the organization, recovering the number of participant groups progressively. In the year 2002 we had 16 organizations participating actively. On the whole 540 women were added. In this situation FEDICE played a very important role in the organization of the women, and planification of the work. With its support our organization was empowered, and reinforced and incorporated 16 communities. With the training programs in different technical areas and the creation of a revolving fund we are overcoming poverty. We are fighting against hunger.

This is our new building

The Internal organization:

The board of directors is responsible for the administration. This board is appointed by our congress that meets every two years. The current board is composed of the following women:

President: Dioselinda IZA ; Vice-president: Bertha Venegas

Secretary: Gladys Guamán ; Treasurer: Rocío Chiluisa

The organization also has ten agricultural indian promoters that work in the communities. Two technicians support us: 1 agronomist and 1 bookkeeper.

The relationship of our board has direct connection with UNOCANC; our structures are very similar, and guidelines are imparted by consensus. We have common agreements in the assemblies of our congress. Doubts and inconsistencies are ventilated in the meetings that we carry out monthly, In those meetings we have the opportunity to investigate the procedures, make rules for the present and the future in order to assure the execution of the activities.

Objectives

The objectives of the OMU are:

In all of this we are looking for justice and sustainable development at local and national level

In our new house that we call "Centre of Interchanging Popular Wisdoms" we have the following departments:

The next congress of the OMU will take place in our own house.

THE CONGRESSES OF THE WOMEN

The Congresses of the OMU are carried out every two years. These are good for us to evaluate the development projects that we carry out in each one of the communities. Based on the advances and results new needs are identified that have not been considered before and others have arisen. All this is registered in the memoirs of the congresses; on the basis of this we defined new development proposals. Each organization of the OMU sent 5 delegates to participate officially in the Congress. Each delegation must bring a detailed report of the work that they have carried out in the two years. They inform us of the achievements and difficulties that they have. In the Congress, they also have to inform about the work that they carry out with different institutions. All the decisions that the women make are made democratically and they are under an obligation to fulfil them.

Currently the OMU has 22 branches in the communities looking for a better future for the Indian families. The women give more sense to the meetings, assemblies, commissions and administrative activities. They help to demonstrate that the work the women develop requires more effort, because they are not only devoted to care for the families but also they work on the land, sowing, harvesting, raising children and animals. Their physical forces are drained and is the reason for illnesses. Therefore it is urgent to find less heavy work and this has worked out with the projects that have benefited all the women thanks to different institutions and to the effort of all the organizations of women. And thanks again for all of the work that FEDICE does.

"Thank you"

DIOSELINDA IZA, PRESIDENT OF THE OMU

PERSONAL DATA:

Name: Dioselinda Iza Quinatoa.