Fun, friendship and loads of work at the city's WIC
Fun, friendship and loads of work at the city's WIC
"Despite the state of the world, we have proved that women of many countries can work together in harmony," says a member of the Women's International Club Jakarta. In conjunction with International Women's Day on March 8, The Jakarta Post takes a look at the Jakarta-based club, which celebrates its 46th year on March 13.
JAKARTA (JP): The Women's International Club Jakarta is most popular for its annual bazaar. Last year's shopping frenzy raised over Rp 762.4 million (US$340,000) for several social institutions.
"But it's so much more than that," says Vida Rignault, a Venezuelan and a Jakarta resident of seven years.
The club was set up in 1950 by four friends, including parliamentarian Suwarni Pringgodigdo and Lady Kermode, the wife of the then British ambassador.
Club president, businesswoman Poppy Kahar, said Suwarni realized the need for an informal forum when she saw that women at diplomatic functions would stick together with those from their own countries, yet exchange curious glances at women in other groups.
The women wanted to mingle, it seemed, and were tired of all the talk about politics following the end of World War II. But language and uncertainties about protocol blocked the way.
"The Indonesians could only speak Dutch," said Poppy.
Now the club, known as WIC, has grown from 10 members to 700 members from 59 countries.
Forty-six years later, WIC Jakarta is still a forum where Indonesian and expatriate women can meet each other and be friends, through shared interests and social work.
Without the club, women from diplomatic and non-diplomatic circles would probably still be living in separate clusters.
"When I first read of the club here, the word 'international' just leapt out at me," said Rignault, whose husband works as an oil drilling contractor.
"The words WIC were in a (newspaper) photo caption of a Balinese dancer...I was hungry for the culture here," said Rignault, now WIC's Vice-President.
She could have joined another club, but she joined WIC and found friends through square dancing and janur (young coconut leaf) weaving.
The club is unique for many other reasons. Outside Indonesia, members say it is hard to find international clubs. They attribute the WIC to the openness of Indonesians.
It is where foreign women can easily be friends with Indonesian women, says Gopi Panjabi of India.
Olive Shelton of Jamaica says WIC helps foreigners adapt relatively quickly to Jakarta.
"Many foreigners are not used to living with other people," said Shelton, "but many join because they're tired of mixing with their own kind, eating the same food, sharing the same old jokes."
Both Panjabi and Shelton say they also joined because of the club's social welfare activities.
"When you're in a foreign country, you want to give something back," says Shelton. "The only way you can do that is be with the underprivileged."
Membership is now 60 percent Indonesian and 40 percent foreign.
The WIC is special, members say, because personal ties are not based on status.
"It's different from organizations where respect is based on your husband's position," said Poppy.
She does regret that many women do join to seek status.
Most important perhaps, is that the club provides time for a woman to be herself.
Rignault urges housewives to join by asking them: "What will you reply when people ask, 'Oh, what did you do in Indonesia?' I cleaned the house?"
Come on, she says, you might not get all the household help you get here when you go back home. (anr)