After OlKalou families settled in their new homes and they started getting comfortable with each other, our mothers got together and formed a women’s group in the early 1970s. They called it Ngurufu, kikuyunized word for Group.
These women were organized. They had elected officials from amongst their Group. A Chair-lady and Assistant, A Treasurer and Assistant. The women met every Thursday. They had a schedule listing which member they were visiting when. This schedule was created from a secret ballot they held during their Group’s formation. It is amazing they were this organized considering they were illiterate or semi illiterate, but I can tell you they ran their Group more efficiently than most government institutions.
The sole purpose of this Group was to help each other out on whatever farming or household chores a member required. Every Thursday, they showed up ready for anything. If it was planting season, they helped their member plant. If it was weeding season, they brought their jembes and weeded. Harvesting, they did the same. If it was wheat that needed cleaning, they did that. If a member needed her house plastered (Ithinga), the women brought jerricans for fetching water and they spent the whole day plastering their members house.
There was no chore these women could not perform as long as it helped their member. The member who was being visited spent the day cooking for her Group members. That was her only job, keeping them well fed.
