V(ie) au Togo: Bien-etre Bien Fait: Our Women's Conference

I have worked with Madame Chang for eight months and I have not seen her as happy, excited, and energized as I did this past weekend at the Women’s Conference. 13 PCVs, 4 Togolese formatrices, and 26 Togolese participants spent 4 days at the Sahelian Hotel in Hiatro. The only men we interacted with were the wait staff and the manager of the establishment. Besides these, it was a whole bunch of ladies hanging out, having a good time.

We did yoga every morning at 6am - the women are still working on the breathing exercises, though. Let’s just say it wasn’t as quiet as a yoga session will normally be. We heard many exclamations during downward dog and the dancer poses J. Veronica, Mimi, and I presented on financial management. Making information on budgeting and savings entertaining is a hefty task. Mimi, our Togolese counterpart, was spectacular. She’s a 26-year-old director of a local NGO that works with women farming groupements. I think the women really valued seeing a young Togolese woman with a command in her life and future. Plus she broke it down for them…in Ewe, which inspired shouts of agreement and head nodding. One woman was so encouraged that she promised to either open her own account or begin a Village Savings and Loans Association. Who run the world? Girls.

This same woman also provided us with one of the more memorable moments of the conference during the family planning session. Imagine a 50-year-old conservative Togolese mama demonstrating how to use a female condom. She walked up to the front of the room, pulled out the condom and was very forward as to how to place it. I love the people who surprise you.

The following are images from the conference. Enjoy!