FWO (The Family Welfare Organization) : What it really means?

Two years is not a long time to tell you about what is the inside business of all the welfare activities that goes in each regiment or corps. Having said that we army wives follow a protocol of making sure that the families of our men always stay safe and the feeling of contentment remains as a permanent fixture in their lives. But then the Jawans wives are mostly the shy lot also depending upon what region or state they come from. The families from the south are usually very tolerant, shy and don't discuss problems that easily and the families from north are more forward about everything. Which becomes easier for us to discuss it further and not make any conclusions without not knowing the situation. Often on the marital front there comes an issue of extra-marital affairs, a husband's drinking problem and his neglect of the family if not known to his neighbours of anyone around, there could be dire situations of women trying to commit suicide or ugly arguments leading to depression. So comes the need to taking the situation that has gone out of their hands now. 

Army being a huge organization, it is definitely not possible for the officers wives to take care of each and everyone but it is always encouraged that they come forward if a problem arises. After all they are really n p psychics. The following is then passed on the the First Lady of the regiment (The commanding officer's wife) and there is some part that could be taken care of with group dicussion. 

An organization cannot run without its 'men', like a tree cannot survive without its roots. Also they are just about ready to do anything for you. The respect, the ideals and the inspiration all comes from us. So our husbands play a very major role is becoming their role models and we as wives have to conduct ourselves to becoming their wives's support system. A Battery (sub-unit where the regiment is divided among all the officers for easier management of troops) welfare meet is organized every month as in to get close to each Jawan's wives and its just more than a chat session. Since they live far from their families and  home-state, we make sure that they have a monthly entertainment in the name of a centrally based welfare pro-gramme where each battery is given the responsibility to put up issues that the wives came be aware of it. So there are demos on hobby, crafts block painting, glass painting, handmade flowers, cushion making and so on. Learning a craft is always encouraged because its something they can sit at home and make it and also make a living out of it, helping out their husbands in return. Later there is a speech given by the battery commander's wife on social issues or tips of the changing seasons or something related to general health. There is a lot of excitement around and when a question is raised, we know that our message is being reached. 

Another important part of our welfare activity is imparting education. A special school for physically disabled children called ASHA is run to make sure that they realize that disability is just a problem among many and if they are made self sufficient it makes no difference. Usually they are the talented lot. and very creative. The ASHA cards are sold in every army canteen and make a very good profit. 

What our regiment is doing is opening a play school for the children below four and very a well detailed syllabus, we make sure that they are well equipped to know the basics of ABC's and also have fun while learning. 

Hindi being a national language, families from south are given a ten day Hindi tutorial for basic communication. 

Apart from all this it becomes very important that army wives make a good support system around because being away from their parents is always difficult. They have to have something to fall back on and who better than a friend around?

Hail Army Wives!