aishaj83 - Women's Day

On March 8 world wide Women's Day celebrations occur. In some countries the celebrations are bigger than others. And within those countries some cities, and towns have elaborate celebrations and recognitions of the strong women and their cntributions to society. Oddly enough, I believe Women's Day has its origin in the United States of America and this year in Burkina Faso is the first time I recall participating in the international celebration. I'm not sure what you all were doing on March 8, 2007, but this is my story.

At 6am I woke up excited that the day had actually come. All of my preparation and worries about the success of the day no longer seemed in vien because the day had arrived! I choose two t-shirts to wear with my women's Day skirt and pants made by the only female tailor in my village. (there are over 10 and well shes the only lady) I decided I would wear the pants with my UVA resident staff t-shirt. I planned to participate in the bike race and what better way to cross the finishline than to be sporting the orange and blue! Plus the Womn's Day fabric had orange in it.

T-shirt #2 is a personal favorite given to me by Jadrian one Christmas and it reads: "It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." And well being the opinionated women I am, I figured I'd make a statement even if no one can read english. haha!

The bike course was pretty much a straight shot with a few bumps and pot wholes in our red dirt road. I lined up with 9 other women to bike about 1km to the finish line. The entire village was certain I would get first place, but considering I am a stranger tring to empower girls and women, I did not want to win the race. Yes, my bike is in better shape than anyone else's and I bike 15km about 2-3 times per week, but I didn't want to over do it and show off too much. The prizes for the bikers was money and the top 3 would win inproved mudstoves I made with the elementary school students. So my plan was to at least be behind the first 3 women.

Well the whistle was blown and we were off! To my surprise these women were moving fast! They were not moving at their usual snails pace I was used to. There was no way I could bike that race and be last, but Lord knows it was hard work getting 4th. It was no cake walk like I thought, but nonetheless I had fun. And I won 1000francs (approx 2 dollars).

After a short break I was off preparing for the elementary students' play held at noon. The title of the play is "Laafi Noma" or "Good Health." Its the story of a little school girl who insists on sharing the lessons of hygiene with her mother who is stuck in her old ways and dismisses all of her daughter's advice that begins with "the teacher said..." For example, the girl, Songempoli, intially refuses to eat because she does not have water in the basin to wash her hands, but her mother scolds her and she eats.

Finally, Songempoli gets sick. Uncertain what to do Songempoli's father goes to see the village traditional healer. (see photo) The traditional healer tells him a bad spirit has taken hold of his daughter and gave him the remedy to heal the young girl. Well, the medicine only worked temporarily and the mother insisted on taking her baby girl to the docotor dagainst her husband's wishes; he believed this was "not an illness for a hospital."

It turns out that Songempoli had some bacteria from eating with dirty hands. The nurse then gave a talk in the village on ways to avoid such sicknesses like washing hands, using latrines instead of using the bathroon outside behind the house and ways the people could get information on constructing latrines. Also she discussed the advantages of sing water from the pump versus from the well as it is often muddy and full of bacteria.

The play was a hit! Not only were the students funny, they covered two serious issues in a nonobtrusive way: the inportance of listening to the advice children learn at school and ways to improve health problems by preventing them. Im so proud of my babies!

After the students' play the women of the village performed a play on forced marriage, an issue certainly pressing on the minds of many young women and some men. Using a similar tactic, the women evoked tons of laughs in order to discuss a very difficult and culturally sensative topic. (see photo) I can't take credit for the success of that play, but I am happy to say that just by me intiating the play for the students the women got together to organize a play on an issue they really felt important...yes the heart of a vlunteer's work is getting the villagers to take intiative from the questions you pose and suggestions you give...I have not given up yet!

It was almost 3pm in the afternoon and I had yet to eat, but I promised the girls in my elementary school that I would play soccer with them before the married women versus married men's game that evening. I rushed home made some macaroni noodles with peanut sauce (a sauce I learned to make here. Most people eat it with rice, but I was all out) I ate literally 3 hand fulls and was off to play soccer.

I played with girl's team #2 and we played hard. It was clear by the number of times the ball went out of bounds and the fact that all of the girls were crowed around the ball that we were all novices. I'm no good at any sport other than long distance walking, if that counts. And you would think that these girls would be pros considering their athletic builds and soccer is the #1 sport here. Well thei athletic builds can be accredited to carrying gallons of water from the pump, grinding corn and helping their families in the fields. Soccer is played by boys and men so we were breaking gender lines, falling all over the place and having tons of fun. My team won 1 to 0. (see winning team photo) I'm sure the game was as interesting to watch as it was to play. After the soccer game we took pictures and drank lots of kool-aid! hahaha...Kool-aid! (it was really flavoraid, but its the same thing nearly) I felt at home.



The adult game was also a sight to see. As the sun began to set and a breeze came over the feild the women set the place on fire. They won 5 to 1. Some say the women "bought the men," in other words the game was rigged, but I would like to think it was either sheer luck or their tremendous skill. Nonetheless; it was a good game. After the game we drank Zomb-Comb, a drink made from small millet and tamarin. Its good and has a sweet but spicy kick to it.

The night was supposed to end with me dancing until I dropped, but I guess the sleep caught a hold of me before the dancing part. So I ended the night just dropping :-)

Its the first Women's Day celebration I remember and it is one I will never forget. there were mqny odds against us like not mqny people coming to the plays as promised and men insisting that our celebration was weak, but the women who participated had a ball and thats all that matters. Our Womens Day Celebration was small in number but large in love and excitement. I can't wait until March 8, 2008!