Empowering the Fauji Biwi

The Fauji Biwi is a victim of the “Trailing Spouse Syndrome.” She faithfully follows her Fauji Miaji into deserts and mountains on a regular basis. She manages a home and raises kids while packing trunks and watering plants. She even tries to make a little pocket money by teaching in the local schools.

She lives life on the go with little time to spare, with Ladies Clubs and Welfare Meets taking up even more of her time. Yet in all this frantic activity, she yearns for that identity that is not linked to the fauj. To have her own place in a time where few can boast of an identity away from their husband.

This site is hoping to bring similar minded fauji biwis together. To share their experiences, their tips, and their dreams and aspirations. To give ideas that can be used to organize events like Husband’s Nights and Coffee Mornings. To talk about the better schools in places that they are posted to. The right places to get their shopping done, and a whole lot more.

One of the “banes” of the existence of a fauji biwi is the mandatory welfare meet each month. Most of us think its a total waste of time. Be it AWWA, AFWWA or NOWWA, its all the same drama. You get jawans’ wives or airmen and seaman’s wives to come to a convenient auditorium once a month and have a station welfare meeting.

What does it achieve? Precious little if you ask me. While it does serve as a handy outing for the wives of the men, it has little to do with actual welfare and help. Sure they come in hoards in their buses and have fun playing the obligatory game of Tambola (housie, or bingo to civilians), but what do we achieve?

Do we as officers’ wives make an effort to meet them? To find out who is from our unit and if they have any problems? Many of them have health related issues, but what do we do for them? All we are interested in is a couple of them who can help with the conduct of the meeting each month. If she can sing and dance, great. If she has a medical problem, what can I do?

That is the attitude with 95% of the officers’ wives today. Actually even they are not to blame. The system has not educated us of our duties. As their social and economic betters, we are supposed to help them in what ever manner possible. This comes into being only if we make an effort to be welfare oriented and not welfare meet oriented.

Filed under: Living The Fauji Life Tagged: fauji biwi, ladies clubs, trailing spouse syndrome, welfare meets