The feminization of poverty

(Written Last Week)

I’m half way into week two here in Guyana and the laundry is adding up. The pile is getting higher and the mosquitoes have a thing for anything smelly. Not to mention almost two weeks, that’s just gross. Time to do some wash.

I took a trip across the street to ask my landlady about getting some laundry done. When I signed a rental agreement, I accepted the apartment without a washer or dryer. The landlady explained she’ll try to get a machine in the space, but until then my options are limited. She does, however, have a house keeper who takes care of her cleaning and laundry.

“If she just puts it in the washer and dryer I can handle that myself.”
“Washer?”
“Yeah, washer.” Wait, is washer some kinda slang here?
“ I don’t have a washer! She washes everything by hand”.
“Oh…Ohhh.”

“Well, how much does she charge to wash clothes”
“I’ll have to ask her. It’s $1500 a day to clean my house and do the washing”

$1500. That’s about $7.50 in USD. $7.50 to clean an entire house (and it’s a reasonably sized house) and wash the laundry by hand. I can barely purchase a salad for $7.50 in the US. Another perspective- A two piece meal at KFC is $1100.

When was the last time I washed bath towels, t-shirts, or blazers by hand in one sitting? Let’s try never. The thought of so much work was overwhelming and really makes me realize how hard this woman works on a daily basis.

The next morning I placed my dirty clothes in a trash bag on the front porch as I was leaving for work. I met my landlady’s housekeeper. She introduced herself from a far, and when I locked the door, I walked over to shake her hand. She thanked me graciously for the work and explained it was her pleasure to help out.

Let’s go back to Women’s Studies 101. The feminization of poverty is a term used to describe the disproportionate rates at which women live in poverty compared to their male counterparts. Let’s apply that to a global perspective. Some women in Guyana marry at earlier ages than their American and European counter-parts, usually in their mid teens early twenties. Marrying earlier may mean less formal education and less earning potential. Less formal education means filling the need for service and labour based jobs such as housekeeping or nannies.

The topics we learn in school aren't just about politics. They are very much real and present in the lives of women everyday.

No one needs to see my dirty dirties. But for $7.50, I’d much rather invest in a local woman’s business than pay taxi fare and washing/drying machine fees at a laundry mat.