The morning of the march, it started raining.
I grew anxious. The past two weeks had seen some incredible mobilization in preparation for the day.
My friend and work partner Yvette created a committee of female leaders from political and social groups in our village with the hopes that they would 1) become the organizers of the march and 2) be a committee dedicated to community development.
The chef de l’arrondissement (CA) happily donated money out-of-pocket to the march.
Reine and Nestor, the two students that I mentor, helped me organize poster making with 80+ girls and boys the day before.
The committee of women collected money in addition to the CA’s contribution to pay for a radio announcement.
And now, it was raining. I stared at this latest obstacle.
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A wave of International Women’s Day (IWD) marches swept throughout Benin this year as volunteers, their work partners and friends rallied their communities towards celebrating women. With the help of a thorough how-to guide (thank you, Clem!), gender equity and women’s empowerment became the themes of the weekend. IWD served as an opportunity to shed some light and love on the cherished women and girls in our communities while emphasizing how “empowered women and girls contribute to the health and productivity of their families, communities and countries” (Global Issues, Peace Corps).
This is perhaps why my two Village Savings and Loans Associations, or VSLAs, are of great importance to me. On Mondays and Wednesdays, 18 and 19 women, respectively, gather to make weekly savings and take out monthly loans. The structure is key, including elections for a president, secretary, and treasurer; appointments for three cash box key-holders and two money counters; rules and regs agreed upon by the members; strict record keeping. Each group is unique in how they operate in the given platform, yet the same goal is met: achieving financial autonomy over the course of 9-12 months.
The ladies sit in a circle, chit-chatting while breastfeeding their babies and feeding antsy toddlers, until the meeting begins. The leadership from the board members has blossomed from uncertainty in their role to confidently guiding each meeting, maintaining accountability. Late arrival or an absence results in a 50F fee. Members eagerly take out loans and repay them, plus interest, within two-three months to avoid any penalty. Each woman has undoubtedly increased their financial literacy – an important shift towards self-sufficiency. It is hard work to create such a team; the end of the VSLA cycle will definitely be a well-deserved and joyous fête!
Meanwhile, during my daily visits to my host family, my host mom lamented about the challenging market. Eager to take money management skills beyond the VSLA structure, I helped her create a budget/money tracker in April. In the end, we found that she was spending more than she gained. It was hard for her (and certainly many other households) to budget for several reasons:
1) her income activities changed each month,
2) she and her husband shared financial tasks according to who had the capital then,
3) general habits and circumstances (poor food storage, for instance) encouraged daily rather than weekly purchases, and
4) unexpected circumstances arose (her daughter getting sick and a delay in her husband’s paycheck).
Regardless, my host mom smiled at the results. “You see, this is why things are difficult. But this is good.” The physical representation of her financial situation coupled with the discipline needed to fill out the daily log was new and interesting, already creating a shift towards innovation.
There is a resiliency that is often palpable in my interactions with women like my host mom.
Which is why there was no need to fret in the face of the rain that Saturday morning. Yvette assuaged my anxieties: “Ça ira." ("It will work out.") Sure enough, the rain eventually slowed to a feeble drizzle and eventually a blue-gray sky.
On March 9th, 2019, more than 100 women, girls and a few supportive boys participated in the first International Women’s Day march in my village – chanting, singing, waving signs and marching on the slightly damp road from one end of village to another. I loved seeing Yassina from my soccer team wield the megaphone and lead the chant, “Nous sommes les filles, les puissantes puissantes filles!” Madame Alimatou and Madame Mouibath, president and secretary of my first VSLA respectively, waved their arms in rhythm with the songs, graceful in their matching blue dresses. Reine coaxed me into a dance circle as we arrived at our final destination, the youth center. The CA, eyes crinkled as he smiled, congratulated all present for their participation in the event. Yvette proudly presented the CA with the committee’s message of continued development of the community. Nestor and Reine humbly stated the importance of why all, male and female, should be part of the conversation. I thanked everyone profusely.
We did something noteworthy that day.
To the guy who had said, “What about International Men’s Day?” as I was printing flyers, we responded, “Respectons les droits des filles et des femmes – Respect the rights of girls and women.”
To those who question the importance of female education due to ignorance or financial constraint, we implored, “Eduqué une fille c’est d’éduqué une nation – Educate a girl, educate a nation.”
Of course, achieving gender equality cannot be done in a one day with one march; however, slight shifts towards change can go a long way. One mama stated in Nagot at the end of the march, “Thank you for planting the seed. It is now our job to maintain this project in the future.”
It rained again after the march, nourishing the seed that had been planted.
Sun rays peaked through stubborn clouds. The future looked bright, and female.
Definitions and Explanations
Gender Equality: when men and women have equal power and equal opportunities for financial independence, education, and personal development (Global Issues, Peace Corps)
Gender Equity: the process of fair and just treatment of women and men and concerns the set of actions, attitudes, and assumptions that provide opportunities and create expectations about individuals (FAO, 2015)
These definitions reveal that gender equity provides a needed path towards gender equality.
International Men’s Day: In case you were curious, there is actually an International Men’s Day celebrated on November 19th. The goal of the day, founded in Trinidad and Tobago in 1999, is to “focus on men’s and boy’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models.” (History and Background, IMD). It does not seem to be heavily celebrated in Benin, nor have I ever seen it celebrated in the States, though it is observed in the U.S. according to the website. I believe context is key. Deconstructing toxic masculinity and building positive role models for men is essential to reaching gender equality. However, begging for such a day in response to efforts to celebrate International Women’s Day - as my friend at the printer shop did - is a poorly placed objective in my opinion. Thankfully, the organizers of IMD have much more astute purposes.
Citations
FAO EAF-Nansen Project. Gender audit and recommendations for mainstreaming gender in the EAF-Nansen Project. FAO EAF-Nansen Project Report No. 24. Rome, FAO. 2015. 28p.
“Global Issues: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.” Educator Resources: Women & Gender. Peace Corps.
“History and Background.” International Men’s Day, 26 Oct. 2018.