Gradually a small cadre of women-usually destitute women

The way she approached them, Gomes explains, was to "start with what the women wanted, what they needed. They could not eat education. They needed food and work. Once they were sure they would have food-through having work and income-they began to understand how the question of getting more food is dependent on the question of getting more education. Then they became hungry not only for food but also for education."

Gradually a small cadre of women-usually destitute women who had been widowed, divorced, or deserted-became inspired by her ideas and joined her in her work.

For Rokeya Sattar and other early members, the experience was life-changing. "Before we met Angela, we didn't even know we were human beings," says Sattar. "We thought we were like cattle and deserved to be tied in the jungle with the cows."