When I asked if people ever go to the local police about these things, I was laughed off because it’s not seen as a serious offense. This can be a very emotional and difficult topic for someone with an outside perspective like myself.
These conversations always remind me why I’m here. I get to have conversations nearly every day with the women of my community about how my husband treats me well. He also cooks and cleans, splitting all the household work with me, instead of sitting with his friends all day like their husbands do. He can even wash laundry, which is crazy concept to them. We like to talk to and spend time with each other, which is also a wild concept to them. I hope my example, however brief, can have some small influence on the girls around me so they know what a healthy relationship looks like.
Names
Namesakes are a big deal in Senegal and reflect a reinforcement of family cohesion. When I arrived in Senegal to my first host family, I was named for the oldest daughter, Astu. Her given name is Ansara Kandey. Throughout my service, I’ve kept her first name, but switched my last name to my new host family so that the community recognizes with whom I belong.
Just like me, when a baby is born, they will be named for someone in the family. That person is expected to be similar to what we call a godparent in the Catholic faith. They will give a nice gift at the baby shower and will be a closer family member for that child as they grow. When a co-worker of mine had a baby, he named the baby after his best friend who doesn’t live in Senegal anymore. They waited to hold the baby shower until the friend could come back to visit.
Some names are obligatory with certain last names.
