Gamalat Suleiman has never read about women’s rights or joined any of the rights groups. The axe, that she held for 60 years, taught her that land does not know difference between male and female. In both cases, it gives the crop.
“We don’t have any source for bread other than agriculture, which has allowed me to raise my children and help my husband,” says Suleiman.
Sueliman narrates her story with the axes saying, “I rented a plot and cultivated it. I used to plough it, hold the axe, water the land and harvest the crop.”
The trip did not end at that point. “After I harvest the crop, I take it to the market in Bulaq to sell it.”
The axe had another favor in establishing a family. “Agriculture has enabled us to build the house at which we live,” she adds.
After Suleiman got older and begun to suffer pain in her legs, she was not able to hold the axe anymore. She transferred the mission to the rest of women in the house. “I depend on my daughter and sister. They take care of the crops after I became unable to do.”
Iman Ayed, Suleiman’s daughter, says, “My mom got me used to holding the axe. Now I’m following her work of farming, ploughing and selling of the crop.”
Samira Abdel Aziz is the third member of the female team formed by Suleiman. Every dawn, each of Suleiman, Ayed and Abdel Aziz break their fast and head to their land to work until the noon. They take a break to have lunch before going back to work until sunset.
The three women replaced men in the land using the axe. “We work this hard job and suffer its pains. Its our only source of strength, especially now that we don’t have men in our house,” says abdel Aziz.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
