Author: African Women's Development Fund

On a recent site visit my colleague Rissi and I set off to interact with the members of Association Delwende des Femmes. Being a Sunday morning 1 was anticipating a very quiet day. Riding through the enviable traffic less city of Ouagadougou, I was counting my blessings at such sheer luxury of riding through a city without traffic, enjoying the sceneries that confronted me and wondering at the dexterity of the women motor drivers dressed in their Sunday best and sometimes with their children all packed onto a generally small motor bike. It simply made me wonder what women are made of. How women can adopt and adapt to care for their children.

Finally we got to the offices of Association Delwende des Femmes and here were two wonderful women who had spared their Sunday morning to welcome us. Barely did our vehicle arrive when those words I had heard a thousand times was uttered again. “Bonjour cava” It hit me so hard the importance of being multilingual and my constant unachievable new year resolution to take French classes, I hope this will finally make me take that much needed step. As always I had to take cover behind the fluency and warmness of my colleague. “Beatrice ne comprend pas Francais” “Ah d’accord” they always responded then I smile broadly. After exchanging pleasantries and being briefed about the organisation our guests announced that it was time to visit the project site.

AWDF had awarded a grant of $7000 to Association Delwende des Femmes to purchase a corn mill and build a shed to house the corn mill. I was most unprepared for this trip to the country side on a serene dry Sunday morning but we were told it was just around the corner. I guess we all have different senses of time and distance. So one of the executives joined our vehicle while the second executive simply zoomed past us on her motor bicycle with such dexterity, confidence and power. So all was set for the journey to the community of Nagazougou.

The beginning of the journey was quite rosy still cruising on the streets of Ouagadougou then I was jolted into reality after our vehicle turned into a side road. One immediately wonders, did I just come from space! Our salon car crawled and meandered along a long winding path with gullies that could easily pass for ravines, but wait, the people of the community had conquered the road years ago. Motors easily zoomed past us, with their happy riders beckoning at us to catch them if we dare. It was too obvious that the riders (both men and women) were very familiar and used to the road network in that part of town. As our guest tried to chit chat all I could think of was how the women in the community could survive on that dry patchy land. I could barely see greeneries. Later when I enquired about their farms I was told “there”, the millet is buried in there I guess waiting for a speck of rain to sprout up.

As we approached we saw a beautiful house with the AWDF logo and colours very visibly tacked to it. Oh it was such a beautiful sight to behold. It made up for all the trouble of riding on such a road, the journey was worth every bit of it. Not only that the women in the community had come out of their different sections of the community to welcome us with pomp and pageantry. I could not help but display a few of my adept dancing steps, I was filled with so much emotion how seemingly little little things can make so much difference to people’s lives, how people who have never met from diverse cultures and languages could connect so easily all in line with helping humanity. In contrast to the dry patchy land were these happy go lucky women dancing and singing as if it was no man’s business. One could hear unrestrained merry making, feel genuine excitement and joy, and read absolute contentment, it was simply splendid.

A little insight into the community Nagazougou. The community appears to be a collection of house steads with a population of about a 1000 people, a very neat community. Houses are sparsely located some distance apart but distance can not break the resolve of these sisters. They had come together to improve their lot. I saw their traditional silos which serve as their grain banks it was simply marvelous, appropriate technology at its best. Bicycle and donkeys appear to be their main mode of transport and I will be right to say almost every community member had a bicycle at least. The community is a vast stretch of dry patchy land with very little shrubs and a few withered trees. After interacting with the welcoming party we entered the building housing the corn mill and here was a community sister busily operating the corn mill.

The story of the corn mill begins. The supplier of the corn mill had trained some selected women in the community on how to operate and maintain the corn mill and currently three community members – Sisters Adiza Ouedraogo, Korine Ouedraogo and Alimata Drago have been elected to manage the corn mill. Fees are charged for the use of the miller, accounts are properly kept and the proceeds used to buy fuel for operating the miller. It is envisaged that with time the community would be able to save enough from the proceeds of the mill to start a micro credit scheme. The women are also yearning to take literacy classes now that they have more leisure time.

The icing on the cake, my colleague and I were privileged to plant a commemorative tree each in front of the building housing the corn mill to be followed by a community durbar under the baobab tree, oh how one longs for such serenity and peace away from the hustle and bustle of modernity and sheer chaos. At the durbar the community narrates how the corn mill has been such a blessing. “Now women do not have to travel all the way to the capital Ouagadougou to grind their millet, women now have more time at their disposal to take care of their children and home” says Rasmata Compaore a widow and a mother of 5. This definitely goes to improve the quality of life in the home.

The story does not end we were seen off by the women of Nagazougou with singing and dancing and words of gratitude and blessing beckoning AWDF to visit again. All these make community/development work so fulfilling and worthwhile. To the women of the community of Nagazougou I say “bravo! keep up the fight because victory is just around the corner for the women of Africa”. I am just looking forward to that day when the commemorative trees will grow despite the challenges of the land, bear fruit and provide shade for the children of the community and house the nests of birds.

Beatrice Boakye-Yiadom
Acting Grants Manager
AWDF

There we were in the middle of war scarred Freetown, Sierra Leone discussing women’s rights and HIV & AIDS in West Africa. The meeting convened by ActionAid International (AAI) and The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), brought together women living with HIV & AIDS and other activists from 7 countries in West Africa (Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroun, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Ghana). These women work in their communities to provide support to women living with HIV & AIDS and to raise awareness of the virus. The majority of them work in local communities, far beyond most capital cities. Many were attending such a meeting for the first time. We had great fun with translation from Creole to English.

At the outset, we the convenors were nervous. At what level do we pitch the dialogue? Should we talk about this? How will they take it? How do we keep the participants safe from prying eyes in the media, the hotel and others – we were worried about confidentiality. We know that HIV & AIDS is highly stigmatised in many West African countries, more so if it is women who are infected. Freetown is also one of these small cities in which news travels at twice the speed of light, and of course a place in which everyone knows someone who knows someone who knows you – or at least that’s how it feels. How would we protect our participants particularly those from Sierra Leone from this unwanted intrusion into their privacy, whilst at the same time showcase the significance of their work? We were informed that such a meeting is a rare occurrence in Freetown and it would therefore generate much interest (both positive and negative). A long discussion took place on the eve of the workshop. We agreed on the usual confidentiality good practice measures: seek participants’ permission for photographs, quotes etc. In addition, a media ‘policing’ plan was carefully outlined and off we went to set it in motion.

Well, we needn’t have agonised quite so much. The women were adamant. They all without exception declared that they were ready to tell their story. If we are to change attitudes, we have to set examples. We have to be open. In fact, some asked for the opportunity to share with the press their personal stories. I was humbled and deeply moved. In face of all the hostility and fear, these women (many of them young), chose to speak out and to accept the consequences of this decision.

Throughout the meeting, the women shared their experiences, pain and triumphs with such generosity of spirit. I heard stories of rape and other forms of sexual abuse and degradation, domestic violence, of abandonment, and of mental abuse. I heard tears of anguish, sorrow and pain that comes from a deep sense of loss and bereavement. I saw women overburdened with the responsibilities of care for their families and communities. I saw women, tired, weary, seeking refuge.

And from these same women, I saw determination to live their lives with dignity – hence their insistence on sharing their stories and disclosing their HIV status – come what may. I witnessed the strongly held faith, rooted firmly in the knowledge that change will come, and that it is they who will make it happen. I saw them draw on the deep reserves of their power within; the inner strength that echoed wherever they went – There is no stopping us now – we are here and we are here to stay, their every move seemed to say. I saw them reach out to one another to give comfort, support; a shoulder to lean on – the sisterhood that cushions the blows of disappointment and adversity. I witnessed their deep sense of fun and mischief – they had some of the most scurrilous jokes and anecdotes! I marvelled at their willingness to listen, to live, let live and let be. These women, who have been stigmatised and ostracised; denied space and voice, wanted nothing other than to accept difference. Some were deeply religious, indeed were leaders in their respective religious institutions. But all readily embraced the notion that, every woman has a right to live, love and be as she chooses.

Feminists, we asked, Who here is a feminist? We all are! They shot back. Why all this ‘boku gramma’ (beaucoup grammar – highfalutin language)? If you are working to support women, you are a feminist. What’s the fuss? They wanted to know. Those who didn’t asked for an explanation and then said, This is ‘boku gramma’. This is what we do and who we are – feminists.

And their enthusiasm was infectious. The hotel staff also engaged. At first on the defensive: There is no such thing as HIV & AIDS in Sierra Leone; It is all a plot to stop us having more children! In our religion it is ‘Haram’(forbidden) to use a condom! How do you enjoy yourself, all wrapped up? All the standard responses of dismissal and denial. But with the patient, gentle but firm explanations from the participants, this changed. There was genuine interest and keenness to find out. Can you talk to my wife? I think my wife and I should go for family planning; You are right, we should be careful – this can happen to anyone. There was genuine admiration and respect for these women for daring to speak out. In the end the hotel staff were sorry to see them leave.

I will never forget these amazing women. They have given me so much. Sometimes one gets lost in the paper work (deeply soul destroying, but necessary) of what one does. And one wonders, What it is this all about? Aside from the late nights, aching fingers from repetitive stress with all the endless typing, weary minds and the endless backlog of paper work – real and virtual, which no matter how hard one tries, one never quite manages to catch up. Aside from this, one often wonders, Really what is it I am doing? The reminder came in the form of these really powerful sisters.

And for me, some other lessons and truths:

Often, in putting together programmes of this nature, we get locked into the business of thinking for our constituencies. And we do this in the name of protection – their personal safety, respect for their cultures, circumstance and so on – all very noble and necessary considerations. But there is an extremely thin line between protection and gate keeping. We cross that line when we think for, rather than think about our constituencies. When we too readily assert for example, statements like, We can’t discuss this, rural women cannot understand/will not accept this; This is not relevant to the lives of rural women; Young women don’t need to know this; These are deeply religious women, they will not understand this; and so on, we filter and censure information.

I wonder though, whose discomfort we are addressing. Is it our own? Do we conveniently hide behind our constituencies to mask our own fears and prejudices – we especially love to use rural women in this way. More often than not in my experience, the so called rural women have needed very little explanation of the issues many of us in the ‘women’s rights movement’ consider controversial. What is the fuss? Has often been the response, leaving us all dressed for a battle that does not materialise. The sisters in Free Town rejuvenated us with their readiness to accept and to dialogue. They asserted their right to do what they felt was right for them – and thank goodness, we too were open to listening.

We can’t bring change if we don’t cause a fuss; if we don’t ruffle some feathers. And make some people mad as hell. Of course it always best to bring them along with us as allies and what have you. So we must always work towards that end. But if it means giving up the essence of what we stand for, then it is perhaps best to act anyway?

So, sisters, we have to speak up and speak out. The results more often than not are oohhh so rewarding.

My thanks to all my sisters in Freetown for reminding me.

Sarah Mukasa
Director of Programmes
AWDF

Today I visited two of our grantees, Women Unite Against Aids in Ghana (WUAGG) and the Nana Yaa Memorial Reproductive Health Centre.

WUAAG describes its vision as enabling women infected or affected by HIV/AIDS to live a life of dignity in a supportive and enabling environment. It was a real privilege to be able to visit the centre to see the projects that WUAGG have been able to engage in with a grant from AWDF.

Did you know that snails eat fruit? WUAGG’s members have been able to engage in trade and income generation activities with a financial grant from AWDF and snail production, batik and bead making are a few of the activities that the industrious women at WUAGG engage in.

After a snail’s pace journey through the market and traffic of Medina I arrived at the Nana Yaa Memorial Reproductive Health Centre. At this centre women are provided with free health checks, advice and referrals where appropriate. The Chief Executive told me an interesting anecdote: Her vehicle has broken down by the wayside and she was feeling sorry for herself when a young girl selling tomatoes approached her and asked her to help herself to some of her tomatoes. Why she asked her? The girl’s response? ‘ Aren’t you the ones who have brought Korle-Bu to this area? Korle-Bu is the main teaching hospital in Ghana. The Nana Yaa centre is not Korle Bu by any stretch of the imagination but to her and probably others in the area it might as well be a teaching hospital.

– Nana
Program Officer Fundraising & Communications

‘It is because of poor marginalised women that AWDF exists’. Those were the words of Bisi Adeleye- Fayemi in speaking to her staff about the plight of the female Liberian refugees who had been arrested after several high profile demonstrations in Ghana.

In AWDF’s headquarters in Ghana we recently had a visit from a delegation of Liberian women who have had to ironically flee the Budumbura Refugee camp and shared their tale of woe with us. These women have had to flee the camp after disagreeing with the demonstrators about their demands from the Ghanaian government and have until very recently been camping out at the offices of the UNHCR. Staff at AWDF supported our Liberian Sisters with gifts of clothing, shoes and money. The heartfelt response from Irene the leader of the delegation underpinned why we do what we do. I have paraphrased her words below:

If I tell you that we are surprised by your gift then we would be lying. You have always supported us and we are truly grateful. May God richly bless you and multiply the sources where you obtain your funds from.

The ‘New Liberian Women’s Organisations Skills Training Centre’ and ‘The Liberian Refugee Women’s Organisation’ have been beneficiaries of AWDF’s grant-making and technical assistance.

– Nana
Program Officer – Fundraising & Communications

Read more from the meeting: Where is the Money for Women’s Rights in Africa?[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]Entre les 7 et 9 Novembre 2007, les militants de l’Est, de l’Ouest, d’Afrique centrale et australe pour les droits des femmes africaines se sont réunis à Johannesburg, en Afrique du Sud pour discuter et élaborer des stratégies de mobilisation de ressources pour les droits du travail des femmes en Afrique. La réunion a été organisée conjointement par le Fonds Africain de développement de la Femme, l’Association pour les droits des femmes au développement, Action Aid International, Urgent Action Fund-Afrique et le Réseau international des fonds pour les femmes.

Lire la suite de la réunion: Où est l’argent pour les droits des femmes en Afrique?[/tp]

[tp lang=”en” not_in=”fr”]AWDF is committed to supporting the enhancement of the capacity of women’s organisation to ensure strong viable and sustainable organisations which are capable of influencing key deliberative processes to push the women’s rights agenda to the forefront. Again, building strategic partnerships and encouraging similar partnerships among women’s rights organisations enhances the mobilisation of resources, increases visibility and movement building. AWDF thus convened its partners to deliberate on some key issues hindering the work of women’s organizations in Africa working on HIV/ AIDS interventions and to strategise on how to overcome these challenges.

Read the Report of AWDF Partners’ Convening at the YWCA International Women’s Summit on HIV/AIDS (2007) here: African Women’s Initiatives on HIV/AIDS (Kenya Workshop)[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]AWDF est engagé à soutenir l’amélioration des capacités des organisations de femmes pour assurer des organisations viables, solides et durables qui sont capables d’influencer les processus délibératifs clés pour pousser l’agenda des droits des femmes à l’avant-garde. Encore une fois, la création de partenariats stratégiques et l’encouragement de partenariats similaires entre les organisations des droits des femmes renforce la mobilisation des ressources, le renforcement de la visibilité et la construction de mouvements. AWDF a donc convoqué ses partenaires pour délibérer sur certaines questions clés qui entravent le travail des organisations de femmes en Afrique qui intervennent sur le VIH / SIDA et à élaborer des stratégies sur la façon de surmonter ces défis.

Lire le rapport des Partenaires d’AWDF ‘Convocation au Sommet international des femmes YWCA sur le VIH / sida (2007) ici: African Women’s Initiatives on HIV/AIDS (Kenya Workshop)[/tp]

Read more about: Reclaiming Our Spaces[/tp]

[tp lang=”fr” not_in=”en”]“Cela n’est pas un forum pour les féministes “si”, les féministes “mais”, ou “toutefois” féministes. Ceci est un forum pour les FEMINISTES “point final”.”
– Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, cérémonie d’ouverture du Forum africain féministe, Novembre 2006, Accra, Ghana.

Le voyage qui a conduit à la création d’un espace dans lequel les féministes africaines peuvent s’engager dans un processus de réflexion interne, la reconnexion avec l’autre et avec le mouvement; un espace libre de les ‘si’, “et”, “mais” qui ont si longtemps fracturé l’agence du mouvement des femmes et détourné ses énergies, a été long et parfois ardu. La création de cet espace (le premier de son genre en Afrique) à bien des égards, témoigne à quel point le mouvement est venu de loin jusqu’en Afrique, mais aussi un rappel brutal de ce contre quoi il se lève.

En savoir plus sur: Reconquérir nos espaces[/tp]