Start a chama and grow

By Dorcas Muga

Have you thought about starting a women's group?

Maybe you have not bothered because you don't know where to start. It takes time to organise a group but the benefits are significant.

Women seem to naturally come together to share everyday activities. Life is easier when you can share a problem with a friend. So creating a group feeds us emotionally.

We have different relationships in our lives, and all are important. Yet it is the women in our lives who add laughter, endless hours of conversation, caring for us when we are ill, and a loving ear when we are hurting.

Are you more relaxed with your women friends?

I belong to a women’s group that we started 16 years ago. We were all friends who had just completed campus and very fresh in marriage.

A women's group celebrating a gift of their harvest. [PHOTO:COURTESY]

Our vision was to get to know how to naturally brainstorm and help each other solve problems, nurture our families and see them grow. We meet once a month.

After 16 years, we have a special bond with each other. We have shared problems, joys, celebrations, children and in the near future, grandchildren. More importantly, we have each grown because of our consistent connections with each other.

When you first start a group, it may seem a bit awkward, especially if you don’t know each other well.

The excitement is there yet you haven’t bonded as a group. It is easier with people you share common interests with and have a history.

Over time, the group creates itself and the power of gathering together impacts each one of you individually.

Why would you want to start a group?

There are many reasons why women gather. It is all about sharing.

So what would you like to share with other women?

Here are some ideas that women are interested in:

• Parents who have similar aged children gather together.

• Women want to become financially savvy so they start investment clubs.

• Spiritual circles — sharing a spiritual lifestyle together.

• Women at work — professional women creating mastermind groups to move them forward in their careers.

• Community oriented— helping impact the communities we live in.

• Building a stronger family— helping each other brainstorm on how to create a loving and caring family....and more!

Society has changed significantly. In the past, everyone was part of a large, strong and extended family network. For some of us, that may still be true, but for others, our families reside in different places nowadays.

So our women connections fill in the gaps. Each one of us can build stronger lives on the strength of our connections with other women.

Why not gather in one room, each member bringing their unique selves to share with others, so all of us can grow and build stronger lives.

In today’s busy world, we need to find a place that is there for us, and building a community of women adds a lot of value to your life.

So, start your chama today.