Les Femmes de Niamey

The Women of Niamey 

The women of Niamey are beautiful.  Really they are.   They are ageless and I cannot tell the difference between rich and poor by the way they are dressed.  They all dress in a similar fashion and I would say fashionably.  They make this hot, dusty place alive with color and style.

We have seen women who are dressed in shorts, halter-tops, tee shirts, slacks, jeans, and swim suits – Okay, those would be mostly Expats and mostly at the American Rec Center.

Most of the Niamey women are dressed in outfits that have been made for them out of beautiful African cotton (Nigerian) fabrics.  There are many places to buy these colorful fabrics – all the local marches/markets - but there are very few places to buy a readymade outfit so sew they do.  New outfits are always coming from their machines. 

These women look “dressed up” no matter where they are coming from, where they are going to or no matter what they will be doing - shopping or cleaning or walking along the dusty roads or ironing or cooking or hanging out, doing the laundry, nursing a baby, working at an office or sewing – they always look put together - even in this heat. 

Women at the Baptism

I’d like to introduce you to some of them.

Mamata is 68 years old.  She is the one in the colorful outfit

There is not a wrinkle on her face.  I go to her “home” to sit on a mat (hoping my back will hold out) to help her learn to read and write in Zarma.  She speaks no French but that is not really a problem, as I don’t either.  She speaks no English.  But that is not a problem either.  Mamata is one of the highlights of my week.  She is a delight and is trying so hard to learn.  And each time I go she has on a different outfit with matching head scarf which she wears just on top of her head as I think it is too hot to wrap a scarf so it covers your neck.   She looks great.  When we go to her house, Richelle and I also wear “African” or at least long skirts and a scarf on our heads.  But we do not look nearly so “put together.”  I feel a little like I am in a costume.

Then there is Hauwa.  She is mid forties.  She’s has given birth to 7 children – the last two are twins who are 2 1/2.  Her husband died a year ago.  She is not originally from Niger so she went home to another West African country but she couldn’t find work.  She had contacts here since this is where they were living when her husband died so she came back with the twins leaving the others behind so she could work.  She sends much of what she makes to her other children.  She is so cute and always dressed very nicely even though what she is doing is cooking and baking and sweeping and scrubbing and washing and ironing - for us.  We are very lucky to have her as she is a wonderful cook (can make something good out of almost nothing) and she is a great baker.  Having baked goods twice a week may not prove to be a good thing in the long run.  I adore her.

Rahila

Rahila is a literacy trainer.  She writes materials to be used in literacy classes and trains teachers.  Right now she is recruiting at the local churches for congregations to send people to a workshop that she will be facilitating.  But she also sews and she always looks smashing.  She has made me a “pagna” that is a piece of cloth that you wrap around you like a skirt only she made mine a skirt.  Then she took material that I had purchased and made me an outfit.  Maybe I am beginning to look pretty fashionable myself.  Then again...

An unknown African Babe

Florentine is the hospitality, guest house, and conference room scheduler for the SIL Center (which is where we live.)  She speaks at least 3 languages but best for us is she is proficient in English and willing to speak it although I know she prefers French.  She encourages our French which is good.  She has many outfits and always looks great even though I know her life is not easy.

  

Isabelle is the beautiful Nigerian lady who had us for dinner in her home.  She speaks a native language and French mostly and just some English.  Her mother is the one who had English 40 years ago and still knew some with unbelievable pronunciation.  Isabelle is dealing with some family issues that are weighing on her and yet she too always looks very striking and put together.  To see her you would never know of the stresses in her life.   

Isabelle's Family

These women don’t let their hard lives show.  They are strong and they are beautiful and their colorful clothes reflect their gracious, warm, friendly, loving personalities.  God has gifted me with these women.