Maroon Women's Network

Maroons of Suriname are descendants of runaway enslaved Africans in the era of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. They are living in six tribal communities based on their African traditions, in the hinterland of Suriname. 10th October 1760, marks the signing of the peace treaty between the colonial Dutch government and the rebellious Maroons. Tribes: Saamaka, Okanisi/Ndyuka, Pamaka, Matawai, Aluku, Kwinti. Maroon population: 117.000 (2012, census). Second largest ethnic group in Suriname. Suriname commemorates 10th of October 1760 as “Maroon Day”. It has been declared a national holiday in 2010.

Purpose of Establishment of Marron Vrouwen Netwerk - MVN - Maroon Women’s Network- MWN
The primary purpose of the MWN is to encourage networking among maroon women’s organisations so as to provide opportunities for knowledge transfer, resource sharing, and collective implementation of projects, which are geared towards the sustainable empowerment and socio economic advancement of maroon women within rural Suriname villages. The Network seeks to promote excellence through cultural training, skills building activities and business related opportunities for sustainable development of the targeted individuals and by extension, the collective communities in which they live and operate.
Through this comprehensive set of social, educational and economic tools, it is envisioned that maroon women, who are frequently the “undervalued” backbone of the socioeconomic fabric of many rural communities in Suriname, will be properly resourced so as to pursue reliable, dedicated income generation in a disciplined and sustainable way.

Main Activities
1. The ‘Ahala’ Award: (an ahala is a tree branch that is typically used to keep a banana three from falling): Annually, as a part of its activities for the International Day of the Women, the Network holds an Award Function that recognizes Maroon women who have made (or continue to make) notable contributions to the Maroon communities, by extension the Suriname society. They are always diligently working tirelessly at the background committed to, share, to empower. to comfort, to protect, to support, to serve as a volunteer for others bearing fruits and excel to make life better benevolent for everyone in society. The purpose for this award is to allow Maroon women, who are largely undervalued in Suriname, to be publicly recognized for their work and to also identify them as potential role models for the youth. More importantly, it seeks to encourage a paradigm shift that “promotes equity of women” in Suriname societies.

2. Birth Registration Project: In collaboration with UNICEF, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Regional Development and the “Medische Zending” (Medical Mission), the Network developed and managed a Birth Registration Project for Maroon communities within the Suriname interior. Very often, Maroon women who give birth to babies do not register the newborn with the designated authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This has resulted in frequent social challenges for these children as they seek to become integrated into the formal Surinamese society without the requisite documentation that shows proof of birth and citizenship. Through this project, the Network was able to shed light on the importance and significance for birth registration and also provide assistance to some who did not know how to navigate the formal requirements for same.

3. Break the Silence Project: In collaboration with the Department of African Studies at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), MVN planned and implemented the Break the Silence HIV/AIDS Awareness Project in 2004. The goal of the project was to build awareness on the realities and risks of the HIV/AIDS virus among members of the maroon communities within Suriname. Until then, HIV/AIDS was still a “taboo subject” within the communities; maroons did not speak about the disease. Through the use of embroidery on pangi’s (wraps made and worn by Maroon women as a skirt) and calabash (traditional vessels used by Maroons for eating and other stuff), the Network informed the communities about the disease, which eventually led to discussion sessions that sought to shift the knowledge, practice and attitude (KPA) of Maroons towards the disease.

4. Cottage Soap Production Industry: The Network recently (about three years ago) explores options for developing a cottage soap and cosmetics industry within Maroon communities. The industry, it was anticipated, would include the entire value chain from organic oil production to the manufacture of exotic body soaps and cosmetics, packaging for sale on the international market. Though a number of Maroon women have received some degree of training in the craft of soap making, the project has progressed very little as a consequence of limited resources and technical capacity.

5. Founders : drs. Merina Jessemy- Eduards (economist) and drs. Fidelia Graand-Galon (sociologist) – November 2000.