Rural women are the main food producers in China as well as globally. However, many of these rural women do not see themselves as important contributors to their families and to society at large. They feel powerless and confined to performing a role which society has imposed on them and which they themselves have quietly accepted unwittingly. One major reason why they are in such a state is that they generally do not have direct access and control of resources. They do not own and control the resources themselves. As a consequence they have very limited control over their own life. Their potentials are underestimated and underdeveloped.
The "Women, Population and Development Programme" (WPD) in China is based on the belief that rural poor, women in particular have the basic right to control their own lives. They are entitled to be recognized as worthy members of society.
Engaging in their own micro-enterprise which they themselves choose and for which they have personal control and are accountable for, has helped rural women to regain this control over their own lives.
When women start taking their own responsibility for their very own business based on their own idea and with their own savings and loan they earn not only their own income, but much more than that, they experience a personal transformation. Their own view of themselves changes. They begin to have a new world view as they personally experience what it means to acquire new skills in decision-making, risk-taking etc. to achieve a goal which they themselves have set for themselves and their families. Each woman can speak of her very own achievements which become apparent not only to herself but to her family and society.
When women in rural areas experience this transformation, we often hear them say
" this is my very own.. . I achieved this myself... . a true gift to my family.. "
In our work with the rural women in China and in other countries in the Asia and Pacific Region, we cannot but wonder how many more women need to find their own passage to reach a point when they can truly say "my very own".
This Manual on Micro-Enterprise Development has benefited from rural women entrepreneurs and field workers who patiently and tediously took the time to find the best way to help rural women achieve their goal towards greater control of their lives through micro-enterprise undertaking.
Although this Manual has been developed for the Women Population and Development Programme of China, it may also be useful for rural development workers. It is FAO's wish to share this Manual with others who may be interested.
Our most sincere appreciation is hereby expressed to Mr. Jacques du Guerny. Chief, Population Programme Service (SDWP), FAO, Rome, for his continuing technical guidance in this WPD work.
Felicidad L. Villareal
FAO Population and Rural Development
Adviser, China
Beijing, China
June 1995
