As in America, December is a month devoted to the holidays in Niger. The Muslim festival "Tabaski" also called "Eid el-Adha" fell on the week of December 8th this year (it changes depending on the Islamic calendar) but almost every village decides when the celebrations will start and usually aren't in any hurry to end them! The result ends up being a week-plus long party.
Officially, the holiday celebrates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son as a test of loyalty to God. Muslims celebrate by killing a male ram, female sheep, or goat depending on their income and what they can afford. Neighborhood children go around asking for "bon bon" (candy) from other villagers, particularly those they suspect have a lot of money. Peace Corps volunteers are at an obvious disadvantage here!
I have to admit that the holidays were very much welcome after having participated in the AIDS bike ride in Zinder. It was an incredible experience,but very exhausting. A group of about 30 Peace Corps volunteers and Nigeriens traveled about 140km from the border of Nigeria to the regional capital of Zinder stopping in 16 villages along the way to do sensibilations and skits related to HIV/AIDS awareness.
At the end of December, I started another Cold Season garden with seeds I brought from my visit to America last September. I had very high hopes for these seeds and my villagers seemed intrigued by my description of such exotic foods as “Crook Necked Squash” and “Broccoli.” Unfortunately, my spoiled American plants didn’t adapt well to Niger’s harsh climate and most of them failed to grow more than a few inches high before dying. I did manage to salvage some squash which my water girl, Rachida, made sauce with and said she really enjoyed. Gardening season still has another few months, so I’m going to have another try with locally bought seeds. I’ll be sure to keep everyone updated on how it develops!
The work I continue to be most proud of is my weekly radio program at the local station in Birni, Radio Marhaba. In the last two months we have done a few programs focused on educating the public about the goals of Peace Corps as a way to introduce some new volunteers starting their service in the region. We have also done several shows on the importance of hand washing and how to treat conjunctivitis and diarrhea as these are some of the most common illnesses encountered during Cold Season. This has been following our typical radio show pattern, focusing on cross cultural exchange and education, but we have recently begun planning a new monthly program.
In the interest of increasing the participation of girls and women in their communities and government, I am planning to create a monthly radio program dedicated to giving voice to women who are already fulfilling such roles. Using one of the very helpful digital recorders from our Peace Corps bureau, I will conduct monthly interviews in Zarma with Nigerien women who are doing vital work in their communities, particularly those not filling what would typically be defined as “traditional” roles. Among some of the women I look forward to interviewing are: teachers, mayors, police officers, and health agents.
It is my hope that besides inspiring young women to dream of different possibilities for their lives, this program will also serve to educate the general public about such possibilities. Women’s roles in Niger tend to be very strictly defined, but many women do manage to break free of the positions assigned to them and go on to have thriving careers and full lives. This should encourage, rather than threaten Nigeriens, as the ultimate success of a country depends on the contributions made by all of its citizens.
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