16 Days - Day 7: Teamwork
Posted by Ann Jones on December 1st, 2007
 At a meeting hall in the village of Zokoguhe, IRC field officer Gbozie Marie Chantal translates photo instructions into a local language. Photo: Ann Jones |
| The International Rescue Committee is working with writer, photographer and long-time women’s advocate Ann Jones to give women in war zones an opportunity to document their own lives with digital cameras and make their voices heard.
Ann is blogging from West Africa, posting new photos and stories each day for 16 days, starting November 25 — the kick-off of “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.” You can catch her earlier posts here and sign up to get e-mail alerts about new posts at theIRC.org/join16days. Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire Voila! Le appareil photo! I produce my shiny little point-and-shoot camera and hold it aloft for display, like a nice fat chicken. It’s our second meeting in the village, our first exclusively with the group of sixteen volunteers for our photo project. We’re meeting under the thatch of a small open air assembly hut, the women seated on benches around me. The younger women have brought their babies, bundled on their backs. I can see they are worried. A week later, they will confess that at this moment they were scared. Intimidated by the tiny machine—the sort of gizmo men reserve for themselves—they feared they couldn’t do what they would be asked to do. And that, as I come to understand, is a terrible fear for village women.
As wives they are told every day to do things they might not have the time or strength to do, let alone the inclination. Failure brings punishment. Men beat their wives for failing to produce dinner on time, failing to wash the clothes, failing to sell tomatoes, failing to stay at home, failing to go to the field to work. The list is endless. And men beat their wives for small acts of assertion: for going to visit a neighbor, for answering back, for being tired or “lazy.” Men refer to wife beating as “education.” Men say that “educating” the wife in proper conduct is a great responsibility for the husband. One man tries to enlist the help of the GBV team, saying women need less talk about their rights and more about their bad behavior.
As I prepare to hand out the cameras, I’m worried too. I have only five cameras for sixteen women, and there will be the same shortage in two other villages where we’re working. The problem is the budget. “I’m so sorry,” I say. “You will have to share.” I worry that our inability to give each woman a camera is a big mistake in our strategy. It will turn out to be the best mistake we make. I ask the women to arrange themselves in groups of three or four—each group an “equipe photo,” a photo team. Then I give each team a kit consisting of a camera in a soft case, four rechargeable batteries, and a charger. When I ask them to take out the cameras, one woman in each group gingerly does the job while the others clutch the rest of the gear. I hold my breath as I watch the tiny fragile cameras swallowed by big, calloused hands. Then a young woman passes a camera to her team mate as she swings her baby off her back and onto her breast. Her work-worn hand, ever so gently, offers a nipple to the child.
For the next hour I take them step-by-step through only the most basic operations of the camera. Strictly point and shoot. I finish by giving each woman her own personal photo card to use each time she has possession of a camera. We practice taking the cards in and out. Then I send the teams out to take photos. They huddle to consult with each other about the cameras. Is it this button, or that? How hard must I push?
The first team finds a subject. One woman holds the camera firmly, as I’ve taught them, and points it. All heads converge at the viewing screen. What next? A teammate reaches over the camera-holder’s shoulder to depress the shutter button. An icon appears on the screen to indicate whether the subject is in focus. “It’s green! It’s green!” say the team mates. “Push! Push!” The button-pusher’s finger comes down. “Click!” The women scream. They jump up and down. They throw their arms around each other while the camerawoman holds the tiny camera aloft for safekeeping. Such good teamwork, as we’ll see, may be put to other uses. |
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December 1st, 2007 at 3:18 pm
This is wonderful
I was in Kenya a few months ago and lived in a village right outside of Kakamega. When our team started taking pictures, all the kids and the adults in our family were so excited about it. Looking at these pictures makes me remember all the smiles and laughs we shared while looking over the pictures that we while I was there.
I also think that this is a great endeavor in strengthening women in African society. My host mother and sisters sole job was to cook. They woke up at 4, cooked, bought food, and cooked, so on and so forth. It really bothered out team because the majority of us were girls who are preparing ourselves for our future lives in academic or business-type venues. The limitations on women really bothered us and it is great to see IRC is helping. Thanks IRC and thank you Ann. I cannot wait for more posts with photos from the women.
December 1st, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I loved it. Could feel all the emotions of the women in your writing and how excited when the picture was snapped. I also jumped up and down (even though i was really sitting) because I enjoyed that moment of their sucess.What wonderful women you all are!!!
December 1st, 2007 at 4:07 pm
i have been enjoying the posts
December 1st, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Awesome. This made me happy….
Keep up the wonderful work!
December 1st, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Fear of learning something new is Universal. Let the women know that even women in Canada have such fears & they are not alone. I understand fear of the camera especially with Digital cameras.
Ladies, you are not alone in learning new skills & experiences. We will learn new things for the rest of our lives & if we strive to teach our children, they too will learn to overcome their fears. Keep up the good work AJ & all you Ladies! 
December 1st, 2007 at 6:48 pm
It was great to see the women working together in photo teams. It made me smile when one group took their first photo and threw their arms around each other in excitement. I can imagine the enpowerment they must have felt being able to document their lives.
It also struck me how one man attempted to enlist the GBV team’s help to “educate” his wife. It seems the men have some long-standing assumptions about women’s roles that could stand to be challenged.
December 1st, 2007 at 9:09 pm
It is inherent in any form of supremacy that someone has to obey and someone assumes license to abuse and force obedience.
What happened to these women for taking pictures?
What happens to them for having meetings–of any kind? Do they get beaten for everything they do or don’t do?
Every man on this planet should suffer over women being abused. Men should be so sensitive to women that the slightest pain felt by a woman should make the man feel PAIN—especially if he claims to love her. Every man should be angry that abuse of women and children exists in this world. Every woman should know that she does not deserve it or cause it or want it or need it or create it in her life.
Every child should be taught from birth to respect the opposite sex. Thus boys should be taught to respect girls and girls should be taught to respect boys. But that word, “respect”, does not mean “obey” or “fear” or “submit” or whatever. It means honoring and appreciation for each other’s hearts, psychologies, bodies, souls, minds….No child should be taught to hate, fear, use, abuse.
December 1st, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Part 2
My life has taught me that every form of violence can be seen as having roots in violence against women and children. And every tiny bit of violence against women and children has its roots in supremacy-misogyny-bigotry. There are non-physical forms of violence. And ideology can be seen as violence, such as racism and apartheid. People are so steeped in supremacy and misogyny and every other kind of bigotry that they think it is normal and right and a matter of responsiblity. Every man and woman on this planet should be trying hard to divest himself or herself of supremacy, misogyny, bigotry. And any other form of hate. Getting rich in America should not be the priority; being free of violent beliefs and behaviour should be the priority—not only in America, land of freedom, but all over the world.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:49 am
The photos are nice. Picture captured very well. The photos express the situation of people, their ignorance, joy, happiness and many other things. In a way, all learn in the process and change takes place. Photos should really useful for effective communication. Let the people invovled be blessed by divinity.
With regards,
Neerchal Balakrishnaraj
December 2nd, 2007 at 2:46 am
I hope that the camera’s will not be destroyed by the men. They might feel threatened by the freedom it gives the woman. I’m so excited to see the joy they experience, in the small success of taking a picture. It’s wonderful. We take so much for granted. May these woman learn to unite and rise up into the power that surly is theirs.
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Wow. It is so heartbreaking to hear the horrors these women endure. And it is so wonderful to see the smiles on their faces when they look at their pictures. It really puts things into perspective for me and makes me realize all the things I take for granted. It also makes me feel extremely grateful to live in a country like Canada. Bless you all for being involved in such an amazing cause.
Sonia
December 4th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Thank you, everyone, for reading Ann’s blog and for all of your comments and questions. Ann wishes she could respond to each one, but the project is keeping her very busy. She wanted to be sure to address some issues of general concern that were raised by Clare McCamy and Tom Vitale among others. You’ll find her latest response here.
Kate
theIRC.org
December 4th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I’m so glad to see all this happening, and the things that are really going on being brought to light, to honesty, and things are being discussed. So glad to see your faces, hear your stories!
Keep up the good work, all of you!
December 4th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Big smile on my face, a laugh! I love it! This is so beautiful - what beautiful people you and they are. Thank you for sharing these moments.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
I am wondering along with Tom Vitale about the reaction of the men to all this newness among the women in your project. These men have grown up in a culture that has been, it appear, male dominated for centuries. I believe what is happening to the women is wonderful and I am happy for them. I wonder what will happen to them when the project ends. My guess is that you, Ann, have been planning for this eventual leavetaking. How do you change the minds and hearts of men, who according to their culture and upbringing have always been the dominant force in the relationship. I’m sure your project is opening eyes and raising eyebrows. How do you help the men to see that it is in their own best self-interest that the women have a greater voice? That recognizing this will help the family and village structures to be stronger in the future?