Kolda Mission: Village Sensitization in Saré Moussa

Sensitization by the Social Mobilization Agents (SMAs) in Saré Moussa village

[This is the second post in a two part series, start with part one]

Afterwards, both of the réalisateurs/animateurs discussed their progress in the field. They focus more on publicity, such as radio programs in local languages that sensitize communities on the same themes as the SMA and in effect, Totan. Their only complaints or problems in the field were the difficulties of transportation and the amount of paperwork. These radio broadcasts would sometimes host for example arguments for and against FGC, has testimonies of Tostan community members, and other ideas about abandonment. They have ever had special guests (marabous, doctors, etc.) come onto their radio to talk and help sensitize the communities on these themes. They were also interactive with communities because they allowed people to call into the radio station as its happening allows for them to find out there are other things that important to the population.

They way it was described in the meeting is that the SMAs and the work of the réalisateurs/animateurs compliment each other: the radio is not physically with the people but it reaches a broad audience and sensitizes them. In a way, it almost “prepares” villages for the work on the terrain that the SMAs do. They work together to coordination dates of fieldwork and emission dates. 

On Friday we had prepared for a day (or maybe half day) or workshops with the whole Tostan crew from the day before and several local representatives (Imams, leaders from local women’s associations, etc) but in the end it was cancelled. Friday in general is a difficult day to plan events on as it is the holy day for Muslims, 95% of Senegalese. 

Here are some photos of the compound where I stayed:

It was a very traditional Senegalese family set up. There were three "houses" within the same compound, a large well in the middle of the 'common area' (this is where everyone hung out and did chores likes washing laundry and pounding millet) and behind the houses were two latrines. Each house was headed by a brother from the same family, living in the house was their wife (or wives) and children. I think total there were about 15 children running around (including a couple on the backs of their mom as well)

This hiccup in the plan gave me a whole extra day to spend with my new family/friends in Kolda! By this point, I had seen all of Kolda. You walk to one end you get the market and a few hotels – you walk to the other end and it's the Governance. I decided to go to the market to get indigo fabric. The indigo fabric comes from Guinea and is much cheaper in the Casamance. 

Doing what I can (which isnt much - probably just got in the way) to help with household chores

My evenings in Kolda consisted of hanging out in the courtyard of the compound, practicing Wolof, learning Pulaar, playing and dancing with the children, and my favorite – pulling a couple chairs to the roadside with Mamadou (+ friends) and drinking attaaya, watching the traffic, and chatting.

Rice and sauce with fish!

Our last day of the mission we went to Saré Moussa, a predominantly Peul village in Kolda, with the SMA team and Tostan to observe/participate in a sensitization. This was the event that I had traveled so long to observe! Finally the SMAs in action!

A few observations I noted included:

The men and women sitting separately, much more women than men, maybe 10-13 or so men but about 30-35 women. There were seven men “of importance” – these are men who were introduced by name before the program started. In addition the Maytron and the leader of the Woman’s Association. Names are very important here, especially when there are guests in the community. I will hopefully get a chance to write about names and cousinage in another blog post.

Next, the SMAs and their supervisor introduced themselves, their purpose/objectives and then finally us, the "Tostan" people. As I’ve mentioned before, the SMA work as a team, each of them has their own special role. While they were introducing themselves, this role was highlighted. For example, one was an Imam and the other a Matron. The ending of the introductions was sealed with a prayer said by the village Chief. He was very happy to have been chosen by Tostan – they had been hearing a lot from other villages about them and he knows that many villages wanted to have Tostan come – so he was very grateful that the SMAs were there. 

Before getting to the heart of the matter, which is discussing the harmful consequences of FGC and child marriage, the SMA started with questions about HIV/AIDs, hand washing, and other not so ‘taboo’ topics. This was all part of their plan. This gives the village time to be comfortable, a safe space to open up and reply to their questions, etc. At one point the Imam reminded everyone to speak up and to feel free to share his or her opinions.

They delicately moved into the more difficult topics, but they did so with caution. Instead of out rightly asking “Do you practice child marriage”, they asked “How do you marry here in the village” “Do children get taken out of school to marry” “Is the decision made by the parents or the children?”

Although they didn't record marriages formally, the women noted that usually by 12 or 13 years old they would be married. One man pointed out a change in the new generation. In the past, he said, it was the boys who wanted the young marriage but now it's the opposite. Then he gave a metaphor of: “Its like a monkey who is chasing the hunter.” 

After this, the supervisor stood to give a sort of “recap” of what had been discussed so far. He talked about the responsibility of the parents – they have to take are of their girls, they must feed them and cloth them. If you talk to them and do the things they want and ask for they wont want to or nee to leave school to get married.

As I looked around I noticed that there were no youth at the meeting/sensitization. Traditionally, adults and children are usually separated, for example when eating the kids will have their own platter to share and the adults will have another. However, I think its detremental to have youth involved in these conversations. 

Finally, after more than one hour of discussion, we finally moved to the topic of FGC, also known as "the tradition". The Maytron replied first explaining that in her line of work she has noticed that those who haven’t been through the have much less trouble giving birth. She herself had done a lot of training and sensitization on the village about this topic. They knew how bad it was so they want to abandon.

In the middle of the sensitization we started to hear music being played and some singing. It got louder and louder until...

We witnessed a bangal!! This is an important ceremony that serves as public acknowledgment of a marriage - it is the movement of the bride to her husband's village and termed "bangal". The women of that village come to greet her, and the welcome is a rite of passage for the bride. In this case, the bride was sort of paraded around the village and went from door to door greeting people.