Do you remember what you did at 12? If I remember correctly, I wore mismatched socks, went to the movies almost every weekend, and secretly had not yet given up my collection of stuffed animals yet. I probably had more stuffed animals than these girls have articles of clothing (which is probably about 4 each).
My favorite subjects were art, science, and english. I didn’t feel like I took school completely for granted, but I definitely faked sick many a time. Hawa was pulled out of elementary school a few years ago even though her sharpness is evident within the first 5 minutes of talking to her. She had to stay at home to take over household responsibilities from her frail mother. Fatou is lucky to have not yet been pulled out, but without any free time to study and do homework, she’s falling behind and apparently resigned to this.
They are bright beautiful loveable girls just becoming women. It’s refreshing to see how gracefully they take these changes—none of the embarrassment or awkwardness that accompanied them for everyone I know in America. But sometimes I want to grab them and cover them up and keep their growing a secret. With all the times I’ve heard I should really get married since I’m developed, I know they’ll be married off sooner than I’d like. By law they’ve still got a few years, and I doubt this law will be broken at least with Fatou, my sister, while there’s a PCV living in the household.
But then they will be, and their lives will very much most likely match the lives of their mothers and grandmothers before them. One of multiple wives, they will most likely bear many children and do the same work all day every day that they did at 12. And no books or soap operas or shopping sprees will line their clouds, either. Hopefully they’ll have nice husbands who don’t abuse them and who use finances appropriately to ensure everyone can eat enough. Unfortunately, these elements are far from guaranteed.
By the time I was 12, I was fortunate enough to have visited several countries, museums, zoos, and to have tried many varieties of food. Fatou and Hawa have only ever been as far as Kedougou, 1-2 times, and aren’t likely to ever travel beyond, as they are/ will be women. Of course they’ve never seen a museum or anything of the sort, and other than my “pop-kabba” and “espaghett” ventures, have had less than ten dishes in their lives, usually the same three over and over.
I would like to change at least these few things. Another PCV—Kevin—took his two village brothers to Dakar for their first times, and I would like to do this with Fatou and Hawa, the most deserving girls I can imagine.
Their first trip to their country’s capital would show them many more firsts: hotels, showers, toilets, sinks, swimming pools, hamburgers, french fries, ice cream, pastries, seafood (etc. etc. etc! important category for these twiggy malnourished girls!), museums, boat (to Goree Island to see the House of Slaves and the best school for girls in the country—stark opposites!), zoo (I hear the Dakar zoo is depressing, but I think it might be more depressing to have never gone to a zoo?), movies (french cultural institute), live good music, grocery store, big market, beach and view of ocean, views of nice mosques (unlike our stick one), views from tall buildings in Dakar (first stairs, in fact!), other sightseeing (Presidential Palace, etc.), and the first/only time they’d feel like they’re living it up like toubab princesses.
I’d also want to show them successful working women, first-hand. Awa, in particular, is a fantastic role model who could life-alteringly inspire any girl within 10 minutes. I’d give them both photo albums to remember the trip forever. They would find themselves in the new positions of authority in the village and sad as it is, I know people would treat them with more respect afterwards. They would gain an invaluable greater understanding of their country and the world. They would be able to buy gifts for their families, and in Senegal, there is no greater feeling than this.
Here’s the thing. I’m a PCV with no money. Kevin was able to do this because of a private donor. I have a sinking suspicion I have no private-donor-types reading this blog, but I’m going to try anyway. I estimate this three-day trip would cost about $850, everything included. If I had to cut out some hamburgers and gift-buying money, I could go down. I know I’ve been soliciting a lot lately and all you over there in the great Amerik are worried enough about money already. But this is a really important cause to me. Hopefully I’ve been able to express the impact this trip would have on Hawa and Fatou. If anyone out there is interested in funding this, please please contact me. I can provide a budget, photos, thank you letters from the girls, receipts—whatever you’d like!
I promise you would change the lives of two of the sweetest, most hard-working girls I’ll ever know. Please help me make this happen.
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