Last year, in September, we started the ladies group in the village again. As we were deciding where to build a new training hut, for the first while, we met under a group of trees to provide enough shade for our group.
We started off by trying to get the names of everyone who was joining the group this year. At first, one lady just wanted to tell me a bunch of names - and then other people started yelling names out as well, then each group wanted to tell me names of people not there. It was chaotic to say the least!
To try and bring some order to the name taking process - we decided to go around and have each person give their name one by one. However, this was not an easy concept to explain - nor is the concept of going around the group and giving one's name at all in their cultural perspective. Roll call as such might exist in the school classroom, but none of these ladies have been to school.
Also, as it is culturally inappropriate to point at people, I couldn't really point out each lady one by one to get their names. So, Megan walked around the group to tap each lady one by one and my group president was to tell me her name.
However, the group president didn't feel the need to tell the ladies what was going on, so at first, they all jumped and looked shocked when Megan touched their shoulders! Then my interpreter would end up chatting with her neighbours instead of focusing on who Megan was indicating. When she wasn't paying attention, the other ladies would try to give me a name, but often would give me the name of the lady next to Megan (not the lady Megan was touching) - and then when Megan would touch the next lady, my interpreter would give me the same name.
To make things more complicated - culturally, people cannot speak the name of someone who they need to respect. So, essentially, they cannot speak the name of their parents, spouse, or in-laws. So, if a women is named Fati and her mother-in-law is named Fati (or the lady sitting next to her, her mother is named Fati) - neither of these women (the lady herself nor her neighbour) can tell me the name of the first lady. To use or speak that name is a sign of disrespect towards the person they need to respect. And in the Fulani culture - their identity and code of life revolves around honour and shame - and all they need to do to avoid shame!
Of course, sometimes to avoid the disrespect issue someone will give their nickname, but everyone may know or call someone by a different name. When we read the list of names the next week to clarify, people didn't always know who everyone was because each person has so many names!!
For instance. One is given a first name and one's last name is their father's first name. So, if a lady's name is Fati Boureima. Anyone who needs to respect the name Fati will likely call her Tanda (the nickname for Fati). So for them, her name could be Tanda Boureima. But - anyone who needs to respect the name Boureima will give a different name for her last name. If two women named Fati both have fathers named Boureima ... they have the same name; so they might add the name of their husband or both father's name to one of the ladies to distinguish. So essentially, this lady could have a potential 4-5 variations of her name ... and which one did I write down??!?
Of course, sometimes to avoid the disrespect issue someone will give their nickname, but everyone may know or call someone by a different name. When we read the list of names the next week to clarify, people didn't always know who everyone was because each person has so many names!!
For instance. One is given a first name and one's last name is their father's first name. So, if a lady's name is Fati Boureima. Anyone who needs to respect the name Fati will likely call her Tanda (the nickname for Fati). So for them, her name could be Tanda Boureima. But - anyone who needs to respect the name Boureima will give a different name for her last name. If two women named Fati both have fathers named Boureima ... they have the same name; so they might add the name of their husband or both father's name to one of the ladies to distinguish. So essentially, this lady could have a potential 4-5 variations of her name ... and which one did I write down??!?
It was a bit of a gong show .... and a process which would maybe take 10 minutes in Canada ... took over an hour in Niger!! But in the end, I had a list of about 80 women who wanted to join the group this year!
At the beginning of our meetings, the women received mosquito nets and we taught about how to care for the nets.
For the following next few weeks, we spent some time discussing needs and ideas. We told the story of a lady who wanted to have more money to buy healthy food for her children and medicine.
Culturally, historically, the Fulani do not have bank accounts - perhaps those in the city now do, but not generally my villagers. So, the concept of saving money aside is to "put money in your pocket". The women often tie coins into a corner of their veil - perhaps it makes it harder for someone to steal from them?? So - to visually show someone saving money, putting it in their pocket - Megan holds up her veil and ties money into it!
In this way, small step by small step, she slowly was able to change her life. This story was contrasted with a man who wanted more sheep, but thought 'If God wants me to have more sheep, I will have more sheep.' ... But he made no plans or steps towards increasing his flock.
- dream ... healthier children
- needs ... vegetables and medicine
- resources ... knowledge of making soap and chickens
- small steps to reaching a goal ... selling eggs
After we told this story, for a few weeks, we discussed what their needs and resources were. It took a few weeks - and "discussion" in this context is much different than one would imagine: picture every lady first having nothing to say ... and then the next week everyone all talking at the same time.
At first, their idea or goal was to learn to make soap - that came from the story! But eventually, the women were able to identify some of their own needs and ideas. But, aside from this - three of the village areas have decided on projects to save towards with their Village Savings and Loans savings this year. Two areas would like to save towards a flour mill and one village would like to save towards a pump for their village well to help with their gardening for income.
It was an exciting start to a new year and having some projects, dreams, and goals to reach towards.
I also love watching how the ladies can multi-task in the meeting!
And of course - one never knows what we will see in the village - but this day, we found a random friend! Lime green is my favourite colour ... so these guys are my favourite lizards!
And of course - one never knows what we will see in the village - but this day, we found a random friend! Lime green is my favourite colour ... so these guys are my favourite lizards!
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