How Rookaya Bobat is transforming lives through women's empowerment

ROOKAYA Bobat, the new leader of the Phoenix Advice, Dawah and Care Centre, is empowering women and their families through community support and skills development.

She took over the helm after the death of her husband and founder of the centre, Abdul Wahab Khan.

In a recent interview, Bobat recalled how her husband introduced her to charity and community work when they first met more than 50 years ago.

“At the time I got involved with my late husband’s charity work and I have never looked back. Under his guidance I learnt a lot and developed myself and today I am running the centre myself. At one stage this was just a job. But now it is my passion,” said Bobat.

Rookaya “Appa” (elder sister), as she is affectionately known, said that she focused on women empowerment because she found women were severely victimised in communities. “The more I worked with the poor, the more I found the women were the victims. They were suffering. They were going all out just to put a meal on the table for their families. Women have pride. So, it takes a lot out of a woman to go out and beg or ask for food for her children.

“And the same man who abused her, would sit and eat the food she had begged for, with a smile. He would not even realise what his wife had been through to get that meal. That is why we opened the centre. When these women come to us they are already down and out.

We focus on treating them with dignity and care. When they leave the centre, they leave with renewed hope. They also know they can come back to us at any time,” Bobat added.

A fashion designer by profession, Bobat has used her skill to help women regain their dignity by setting up home-based sewing businesses.

Razia Nabeebacuss, 59, runs this business from her home.

Seven years ago, Nabeebacuss began to learn to sew under Bobat’s tutelage. Now she has a small business which she says she is “very proud” of.

“Rookaya Appa does our cuts and designs. She sees a style and draws the pattern. She then cuts it out in the fabrics and I do the sewing. I have a sewing machine which my family helped me to buy. With this I get an income by doing alterations, hemming and other small jobs.

“When I started to learn to sew my husband was unemployed and we found it difficult to make ends meet. Now I am able to put food on the table and pay our bills,” said Nabeebacuss.

“I happy, proud and independent. With the income I earn, I can do things I could never do before. Every woman should empower themselves. They can start by doing little things to make their lives better and to provide for their families. No matter what their age is - young or old - if they put their mind to it they can achieve what they set out to do,” she added.

Safiyyah Khan has worked with Bobat for 27 years.

Recalling her time with Bobat, Khan said: “When I first came to the centre I didn't even know what a samosa tasted like or looked like. We came from a poor home and never had the luxury of eating samosas, pies or pizzas.

“Rookaya made samosas for her personal use during Ramadaan. I recall that she had asked me to help her. It was very difficult. I did not own a rolling-pin or know how to use it. But she never gave up on me. She repeatedly showed me how to use the rolling-pin to shape the dough. She kept encouraging me and showing me how to do it.

“Today, I am not just a professional samosa maker but an all-round cook too. This Ramadaan I made samosas, pies and pizzas. I made R3 000 profit from selling my wares. When people come to the centre, I always encourage and motivate them to do something to empower themselves. With a normal roti dough, you could make pies and pizzas. You just need oil and flour and you can make rotis which could be sold at R35 a dozen.

"There is no such thing that a person cannot do anything to survive. You can empower yourself. No job is too little or too hard to do. Follow your dream. You may start with a little, but eventually people will taste your food and they will support you,” she added.

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