Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities

More good news to pass along. On June 29, Amina Yabis heads off to America to take part in the opening of an exhibition on July 4 titled Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities at the Museum of International Folk Art, and then will participate in the 7th annual Santa Fe International Folk Art Market from July 9-11.

Over the last couple of months, Amina and I have been in touch with the museum curators sending photographs and quotes for the exhibit. We had a little difficulty getting the right shots at first. Fortunately a couple of friends who happen to be avid photographers came to visit me from Spain and as I do with all my guests, I put them to work. They took some marvelous pictures of the women of the cooperative. The museum was pleased with the collection and selected a few of the shots so big shot-outs to my friends Lisa Anaya and Oriol Llados for their contribution. 

Once again another big "THANK YOU" to RPCV Gregg Johnson for his help in putting the application packet together back in October of last year for admission to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. The Cherry Buttons Cooperative received their invitation in January and in February we sent all the forms to confirm her participation. This time around the coop will have a full table displaying Sefrou's famous hand-woven buttons, button necklaces, Moroccan slippers adorned with buttons, and their multi-color scarves and natural dye chales. If you're in the neighborhood, I invite you to drop by and also to drop some dollars at her stand. 

What Amina Yabis has done with the cooperative is truly remarkable. In just ten years, the cooperative has grown from 10 to over 40 members, provides steady employment for a number of women, welcomes new weaving apprentices every year, provides natural dye trainings throughout the country, and travels to expos all over Morocco, Europe, and the U.S. Also, this year the coop's sister NGO, the Golden Buttons Association, will be holding it's 4th Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) in July. Amina is grateful for the support of Peace Corps volunteers, PCV families and RPCV groups who have supported Camp GLOW, partner NGOs like the High Atlas Foundation, Maiwa Foundation, the Santa Fe Intl. Folk Art Market who through their skillful fundraising financed Amina's first trip last year, and is of course grateful to her family who has pitched in with the cooking and housework to enable her to carry out her work.

Please take a moment to read through the museum's official press release on the opening of the exhibit and if you can, pass it along to your friends.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT
Steve Cantrell
505-476-1144

A quiet revolution is taking place around the world led by women artisan cooperatives. Taking the initiative to collectively produce, manage, and market their crafts, they have enriched their lives and become powerful forces in their communities. On July 4, 2010 the Museum of International Folk Art inaugurates its’ “Gallery of Conscience,” a space dedicated to exploring contemporary issues affecting folk art production and consumption.

Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities kicks off the first annual International Folk Arts Week – a week of demonstrations, lectures, folk music, performances, and other programs held in conjunction with the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market running July 9 through July 11, 2010.

Focusing on ten cooperatives that illustrate how the power of such grassroots collaborations transform women’s lives, the exhibit brings together first person quotes, stellar photos, and stunning examples of the cooperatives’ handmade traditional arts to tell stories of how women folk artists are working cooperatively to:

• Preserve and reinvigorate their traditional arts

• Generate steady livelihoods for their families

• Give back to their communities

• Become leaders in public life

• Overcome domestic violence

• Develop literacy programs for themselves and their children

• Heal the traumas of war

• Sustain their natural environments

• Save for the Future

The featured cooperatives are drawn from three continents and ten countries including India, Nepal, Swaziland, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Bolivia, Lao PDR, Peru and Morocco. Featured folk arts include embroidered story cloths, hand dyed sisal baskets, beaded neck collars, hand carded and dyed wool weavings, cultivated bromeliad bags, and folk paintings of village life.

“As the largest folk art museum in the world we have a responsibility to create a forum to discuss current issues that folk artists are facing around the world. This ‘Gallery of Conscience’ will be devoted to the examination of issues that threaten the survival of the traditional arts, bringing them to the attention of our visitors,” says Marsha Bol, Director of the Museum of International Folk Art. “We intend to address, over the course of the next few years, such issues as: the ecological implications of the acquisition of materials used in producing folk arts, the impact of political conflict and war on folk arts, and various economic and social issues that threaten to disrupt folk arts. We will also exhibit examples of successful solutions to such circumstances.”

There is a strong connection between this exhibition and the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market which has; “…always [been] a supporter of cooperatives, recognizing their power to bring both cultural and economic sustainability to communities,” said Folk Art Market Director Charlene Cerny, “Most of the cooperatives at the Market involve women.”

When anthropologist Dr. Suzanne Seriff was asked to guest curate an exhibition on women’s artisan cooperatives at the Museum of International Folk Art she had a unique perspective as head of the Folk Art Market’s Selection Committee. Seriff was; “…struck by the large numbers of women's cooperatives applying to the Market, and their incredible stories how working collaboratively changed their lives. In this exhibition I wanted to bring some of these larger stories to the public, to give the women a chance to speak for themselves—in their own words about their work and their lives and how women all over the world are improving their lives, families and communities with the power of cooperatives."

Nicholas Kristof recently wrote in the New York Times how these women’s artisan cooperatives are change agents in the developing world. One Moroccan woman teaches a village to read. An embroideress from Gujarat takes out a loan for the first time at the local bank. A Hutu woman from Rwanda works side by side with a Tutsi to make the peace baskets that are working to heal their war-torn country. In Swaziland, the village women use profits from the sale of their handwoven sisal baskets to feed and educate the hundreds of children in their village orphaned from AIDS. In Bolivia, displaced Ayorean women learn to cultivate the bromiliad plants that were once native to their jungle habitat and from which they weave their native dress and hand dyed bags. Women artisans from all over the world are using the power of artisan cooperatives to reach new markets and transform their lives.

Two representatives from each cooperative featured in the exhibit will participate in a full week of demonstrations, discussions, lectures, and artist-led exhibit tours beginning with a facilitated roundtable discussion with the curator during the opening on July 4, 2010 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The opening will be hosted by the Women’s Board of the Museum of New Mexico from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities runs July 4, 2010 through January 2, 2011.

Press Release: Peace Corps Volunteers Lead Camps for Girls

My Dear Friends,

Just came across a news release about Camp GLOW happening around the world.  As you'll see, every camp has a specific focus or theme, but they all share the same vision of empowering young girls and young women by instilling confidence, providing them with the self-awareness tools to be able to identify the needs of their community, and passing on the information they need so they can be change agents in their community.  It's truly remarkable to see Camp GLOW taking place in so many parts of the globe.  

On Friday, May 27, our Camp GLOW Morocco Planning Committee is meeting to iron out our recruitment strategy, a two-day camp counselor training, and a schedule of camp activities.  It's exciting to see all the pieces of the puzzle come together.  As far as fundraising is concerned, we're still in need of individual donations for the camp.  On June 1, the High Atlas Foundation is planning on sending a report on our balance.  If you're planning on donating, please do so by that date.  If this month is tight, no worries.  Fundraising will continue until the 1st of July.  To do so, simply click: http://www.highatlasfoundation.org/donate (Go to "make secure donation" in the middle).  Afterwards, VERY IMPORTANT, please send a quick email to haf@highatlasfoundation.org to let them know that your donation is for Camp GLOW.  HAF is a U.S. 501c3 nonprofit organization and will send receipts for tax purposes to all donors.  

If you already donated, thank you very much for your support.  If you wish to be kept up to date on the recent developments of the camp, you can subscribe to this blog or join our Facebook Cause: http://www.causes.com/causes/461569

I wanted to leave you with another link. This one is for photos of Camp GLOW 2008:
http://picasaweb.google.com/cerises.sefrou/GLOW?authkey=Gv1sRgCMKogdbj5Y2I8QE&feat=directlink

Thanks once again for your support.

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 31, 2010 – Peace Corps volunteers in over 60 posts worldwide are empowering young women by organizing Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) programs that encourage self confidence, challenge campers to think beyond traditional gender roles, and address the unique societal and health issues that young women face in their communities.

Every Camp GLOW empowers young women to embrace leadership roles, develop relevant skills, and aspire to achieve their dreams. Many camps aim to connect girls with successful host country female role models. GLOW Camps also provide a structured environment for cultural exchange, mutual sharing and fun. Individual Camp GLOW programs are unique and allow Peace Corps volunteer organizers to shape the program to addresses the specific challenges that the young women face in their local communities.

The first Camp GLOW was established in 1995 when Peace Corps/Romania volunteers and the Romanian teachers they worked with came together to address the unique challenges that local young women faced.

Over the last 15 years, Peace Corps volunteers worldwide have since seized on the successful Camp GLOW model and implemented their own programs. The following are success stories from five of our posts.

Armenia

Last year, Peace Corps/Armenia volunteers Mari Chiba from Portland, Ore., Grace McSoley from Cranston, R.I., and Cassie Warholm-Wohlenh from Lindstrom, Minn. partnered with a local youth center to organize a Camp GLOW. Dozens of girls from ten different regions participated in the five-day camp. In an effort to expand the camp and allow more girls to attend, the Peace Corps volunteers applied for a Peace Corps Partnership Program grant to raise funds for an eight-day camp with over 50 participants. Click here to read more about, and donate to, the project.

“In Armenia, GLOW Camp is the beginning of a year-long program that continues to support participants after camp to help them develop and mature,” said Chiba. “We publish a newsletter that collects articles from former participants, hold seminars during the year, have a junior counselor program for former participants, and have a small grants program that enables our participants to develop their project management and leadership skills.”

Belize

Over the last two years, Peace Corps/Belize volunteers Olivia Szymanski from Menomonie, Wis., Katie McFarland from Charlotte, N.C. and Virginia Gordon from Hingham, Mass. have helped organize a Camp GLOW. The camp addressed healthy relationships, gender issues, nutrition, body image, self esteem, team leadership, arts, and HIV awareness. Once the four day camp was completed, the girls were encouraged to apply their leadership skills and Camp GLOW programming to create “Club GLOWs” in their local communities when they return home.

Tonga

Peace Corps volunteer Sandra Phillips from Cooperstown, N.Y. worked on two successful Camp GLOW projects during her service in Benin. This year, as a third year extension volunteer in Peace Corps/Tonga, Phillips is organizing a Camp GLOW that will include nearly 250 girls from over four island groups.

"Camp GLOW is by far the most rewarding and inspiring project I have been a part of during my Peace Corps service,” said Phillips. “The transformation of the campers over the course of just one week is incredible to watch and their impact on the communities they return home to is equally amazing.”

Dominican Republic

Last July, 62 young women attended Camp GLOW in the Dominican Republic organized by Peace Corps volunteers Mariel Beasley from Durham, N.C., Alison Driver from Seattle, Wash., and Regina Cruz from Clermont, Fla. The campers were encouraged to become community leaders and role models for other young women. For many of the campers, it was the first time that they had slept in a tent. On the second night, when the tents were washed out by torrential rain, the girls applied the leadership skills they learned and gained confidence in their ability to confront the challenging sleeping situation.

Ukraine

In August 2009, returned Peace Corps volunteer Cindy Divsalar from El Paso, Texas helped organize a Camp GLOW for 35 students in a village in northern Ukraine. The students came together to learn about leadership, human rights, gender equality, and environmental protection. They also enjoyed fun activities like a scavenger hunt, zumba fitness classes, and a “girls night in” themed slumber party with a movie.

“Peace Corps volunteers helped raise my self-esteem, and taught how to protect it and how to believe in myself,” said Olga Korshak, a Ukrainian student who participated in Camp GLOW. “Camp GLOW changed my way of thinking. It helped me understand that each of us is unique and wonderful. After this camp I became more optimistic and self-confident, and I am very grateful to the Peace Corps volunteers for the great opportunity to participate in this camp.”

The Shamal Series: Asilah

When I was first told by my recruiter that I was nominated for an NGO development post in Morocco, I immediately thought of the great desert dunes of the Sahara, the oases, camels, and the hot sun.  I was looking forward to this change of scenery.  For most of my life, I had lived with green all around me.  

Once I found out that Morocco would be my home for the next two years, I began to do a little research.  I learned that Morocco did indeed border the Sahara, but there was so much more than just sun and sand.  It had towering snow-capped mountains and lush river valleys, fertile plains and beautiful beaches, and because of its geographic location, it had been a crossroads for many dynasties, empires, kingdoms, and merchants who brought with them their culture, religious traditions, architecture, and diets creating a vibrant region that like its zellij is a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of colors, and like its ganawa, the people move to the sound of syncopated rhythm.

In my short time here, I've been able to zig-zag throughout the northern countryside stopping by to catch a few waves on the Atlantic coast in Asilah, to chill and marvel at the blue city of Chefchaouan sitting on the jagged peaks of the Rif Mountains, to travel back in time walking through the Roman ruins of Volubilis, to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the medieval old city of Fes, to descend to the center of the earth by way of the Grotte Friouato, to reach the source of the best tasting sparkling mineral water brewed by the thermal springs near Oulmes, and to walk lazily through the Chellah Sanctuary and the Unfinished Mosque of Rabat.  These are just a few of the sites I've been fortunate to visit.  There are many more that I have yet to see.  Inchallah (God willing), I'll take a trip to the Mediterranean coast sometime in the summer.  


For the sake of keeping these entries short and sweet, I will only entertain you with my recent trip to Asilah.  Stay posted for more destinations in the future.  So without further ado, here are some pics, comments, and suggestions on the Morocco that few think about when they think of Morocco, the bountiful, stunning, and the unforgettable shamal (north).

Kicking it back in Asilah

Last summer a group of volunteers made plans to do a little vacationing prior to the month of Ramadan.  A few suggested Al Hoceima on the Mediterranean coast, others Tangiers, and another group pushed for Asilah.  Luckily, Asilah came out as the winner.  A couple of the reasons why it won was due to its easy access and its cosmopolitan vibe.  Every year the town hosts an international contemporary art and cultural festival that brings artists from around the globe and allows them to use the walls of the old fortress medina(old city) as their canvas.  In addition to the murals that don the city, the festival is filled with music and dance.  Last year, a band of Mexican musicians brought mariachi to the streets of Asilah.  Unfortunately, when I went, the festival had just come to an end, but the murals were still up.  It was like walking through an art museum except you were outside in the open air and every painting was humongous.



Outside of the old city, Asilah has a long beach-front promenade with tall palm trees, cafes and restaurants, and decorated with flags from all over the world.  The sunset on the beach was beautiful.  I should note that if you plan to check out the sunset on the beach, be sure to get back to the lighted promenade before it gets too dark as it is prohibited to walk the beach at night.  Apparently, for safety concerns and cultural reasons, the police prefer that lovers take their loving to their hotel rooms.   


As a beach resort town, seafood is widely available at a reasonable price and because of the large influx of Spanish tourists that frequent the city, the restaurants can prepare it paella-style.  I'm a fan of the street food and sometimes I pay dearly for it, not monetarily speaking but rather through bouts of indigestion.  This time around, hamdullah(thanks be to God), I had no problems after eating about 20Dh worth of pastilla from a street cart.  It was a scrumptious taste of heaven.

The highlight of the trip was by far our short trek to a nearby beach called Paradise Beach.  It lies about 5k south of Asilah.  The grand taxi goes through some rough terrain before dropping down from the Asilah plateau to a wide expanse of sand and what looked like water-reed bungalows.  We arrived early morning when hardly anyone was there.  We parked ourselves in one of the bungalows, which provided lounge chairs, boogie boards, and that also threw in some lunch for a total of 60-70Dhs.  Once we got situated, we took our boogie boards and headed straight for the waves.  In the morning, we had to run a good 100 meters before reaching water.  By evening though, the waves were at the door of the bungalow.  The water was a bit chilly, but with the hot Moroccan sun bearing down, I barely felt cold.  The waves were phenomenal, great for boogie boarding, and good enough for a number of surfers.  At about 6PM, we reluctantly returned to Asilah and took the party back to our apartment.


I had a seafood paella in the evening.  A few of us pitched in to drink a little brew and then after some dancing and mingling, we headed out to stroll the promenade.  At the beach there was a small carnival of rides.  We hopped onto the bumper cars, and then after a few high-adrenaline rides inflicting whiplash on one another and our Moroccan friends, we exited the rink and got on a spinny ride--a decision that at first seemed like a good continuation to our night at the carnival, but would later be the decision we would all regret.  

We boarded the spinny ride contraption and anxiously awaited the start.  At first the ride began by gradually speeding up and elevating us.  As we gained speed, we felt ourselves sinking deeper into our seats as we probably pulled a little g-force.  Most of us at that moment still had smiles on our faces, some of us had our hands up, and our feet were waggling from side to side and others were simulating running in open air.  The ride continued to rise to the point where we were now at a steep diagonal.  The operator turned down the speed of the ride so that we could all enjoy the liberating feeling of free-fall.  Normally, this feeling is the most exhilarating part of the ride, but as my body dropped, my stomach, full of food and brew, felt as if it was lagging behind and rising up to my throat with every drop in what now seemed like a torturous, ill-conceived, and never-ending ride.  As we neared the end, our smiles turned to distraught faces that appeared ready to spew out everything in our upset stomachs.  Some of us held it together and others released.  I turned to my zen meditation and began breathing deeply.  The meditation saved me from unleashing my stomach's wrath all over the ride, but the calm only lasted for a brief moment because once I reached the apartment, I stopped fighting it and ultimately succumbed.

I will forever remember the Asilah promenade, the humongous murals, the squeaky clean old city, the b(p)astilla and paella, Paradise Beach, and the spinny ride.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I may just do it all over again with the exception of the spinny ride.


Trip Essentials:


Transpo: ONCF Train service is available to Asilah and I highly recommend it.  CTM buses also pass through on their way to Tangiers.  Non-CTM buses like Njeme Chamal also run regular routes from Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca and Rabat.  


Hotel: There are a number of cheap hotels.  We stayed at Mounia Apartments, which were fully decked out with kitchenettes, western toilets, showers, and balconies facing the promenade.  Everything worked well.  I can't recall exactly how much it was per person.  Let's just say it was on the expensive end for PC standards, but well worth it.


To learn more about Asilah, visit: http://www.morocco.com/attractions/asilah/
       

Camp GLOW 2010 - Girls Leading Our World - Join Us in Saving the World!!!

Saving the world is actually easier than it seems.  For I don't know how long, the answer has been staring at me, at us, and itself, but because of tradition, culture, misguided and/or misinterpreted religious doctrine, and perhaps ego from some, the answer has been neglected and in some cases suppressed.  The answer is women.  Women have the power to transform communities, but they need a helping hand.

In my one year and a half of Peace Corps service, I have witnessed an amazing transformation in my community.  I speak of the work of my Moroccan counterpart and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Mrs. Amina Yabis who just ten years ago thought to herself that it wasn't right that the women of Sefrou, makers of some of the finest djellaba buttons in all of Morocco, gained so little from the sale of their handicraft.  In an effort to counter the middlemen, Amina and a group of women decided to take the leap of faith and form a cooperative with the goal of taking ownership of their handicraft.  With the help of Peace Corps volunteers, Amina and nine other women wrote the bylaws and secured a micro-credit loan, and just like that, the Cherry Buttons Cooperative was born.  As the coop gained notoriety for its distinctive selection of buttons, the coop began to grow.  Another volunteer arrived and helped the coop diversify its product line by providing weaving and other professional development training.  Then I arrived and began working with Amina and a former volunteer to help the coop secure a spot in the 2009 Santa Fe International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  She went, sold nearly everything in dollars, and came back with a good chunk of capital that was then applied towards the construction of a building for the cooperative.  In March of 2010, the cooperative moved all their looms to their new center and celebrated the completion of their new home.

The reason I share this story is to demonstrate that it only takes one person who is hungry and motivated to unite others, demand change, and effect change in their community.  Ten years ago, the cooperative was just an idea.  Today it has nearly 40 members, a handful of apprentices every year, provides steady employment for a number of women, produces quality products, travels all around Morocco showcasing its work, and is once again invited to participate in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for 2010.  

Amina believes there are many young women out there who just need the information, some start-up resources, and a support network to develop the next big enterprise.  One way by which to provide the training and empower young women is through her coop's sister association's annual Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). The camp is a week-long event that brings health professionals, lawyers, star athletes, Peace Corps volunteers, and business entrepreneurs under one roof to encourage young rural women to break the cycle of dependency and to take control of their future. By exposing the young women to successful role models and by engaging in dialogue with community leaders, the young women begin to formulate ideas of what they could become. The camp is a place to exchange ideas, to network, and to build a larger support network.

One former participant was Najoua Ammzon, a 20-year old high school graduate from the small village of Tafijirt, Morocco. Prior to Camp GLOW, Najoua was unemployed and lived with her parents in her village. But after being inspired by Amina, Najoua decided that she had a lot of potential and could never return to sitting at home in her village, nor would she be happy if she simply married and became a housewife. Najoua decided to move to Sefrou to live with relatives to continue her studies so that she could, in the future, start a small business project running a teleboutique or a cyber café. She began to take French and English classes as well as study computer science and handicrafts such as knitting and embroidery. She also now regularly visits and networks with Camp GLOW facilitators who work as artisans in Sefrou taking advantage of local workshops and trainings to improve her job skills.

Najoua is just one of many examples of participants who are on their way to breaking the cycle of dependency.  Her bold move and that of many others has the potential to save the world.  You may ask how that could be.  How could Najoua's plans, for instance, to continue her studies have such an impact? When asked this question, I point to the work of Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen who in his book titled Development as Freedom said that increasing the literacy of women has the effect of reducing infant mortality, reducing the overall number of childbirths, increasing life expectancy, improving the quality of life, expanding the overall economy, and creating a more representative democracy.  In a country where nearly 60% of the female population is illiterate, the need is immeasurable.  Camp GLOW coordinators and camp counselors are full believers that young rural women given the information and support will seek out opportunities that will improve their livelihood, that of their family, and that of their entire community.

So how can you help?  I and a number of Peace Corps volunteers are fundraising on behalf of the association for this year's Camp GLOW.  The camp is set to take place July 25-31.  Approximately 50 campers coming from some of the most remote villages from the Middle Atlas Mountains will gather in Temara near Morocco's capital of Rabat.  Funding for the camp is coming from multiple sources.  AIDS awareness funds, donations from partner organizations, and in-kind gifts will reduce the costs of the camp, but individual donations from you are key in making this camp possible.

Fortunately, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), a 501(c)(3) organization founded by former Peace Corps volunteers that invests in the growth of small communities across Morocco, has offered to process and transfer all donations from U.S. donors to Morocco free-of-charge.

To donate online, simply click: http://www.highatlasfoundation.org/donate (Go to "make secure donation" in the middle).  Afterwards, VERY IMPORTANT, please send a quick email to haf@highatlasfoundation.org to let them know that your donation is for Camp GLOW.  HAF is a U.S. 501c3 nonprofit organization and will send receipts for tax purposes to all donors.

Given that HAF is donating their time in processing donations for us, I strongly urge you to use the online option.  I donated online and found the process to be super easy.  Any size donation is welcomed.  Just to give you an idea of how far your dollar can go in Morocco, an $85 donation covers nearly all expenses for one young woman for the entire week-long camp.

If you would like to contribute via snail mail, you can do so by making your check out to "High Atlas Foundation" and indicate in the check memo that it is for Camp GLOW (It is extremely important to make note of that on the check so as not to confuse your donation for Camp GLOW with a donation to the High Atlas Foundation)

Please mail your check to:

High Atlas Foundation
Park West Station
PO Box 21081
New York, NY 10025

Because this is a volunteer-run camp from both Peace Corps volunteers and the Golden Buttons Association, 100% of all donations go straight to program expenses.  There is no overhead whatsoever.

I want to thank you for taking the time to follow my blog and for supporting me throughout my Peace Corps experience.  I hope I can count on your support once again.  

I also want to thank everyone who joined the Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Morocco Cause on Facebook.  If you have yet to join, I invite you to do so: http://www.causes.com/causes/461569.  Thank you in advance for your donation.  The HAF is planning on sending us an update on June 1st of our total donations.  If you can, please donate by then.

Thank you very much for helping me, my fellow Peace Corps volunteers, and our Moroccan friends save the world.  

Interior and Exterior Affairs: Confronting the Lingerie Merchants

Continuing on with my observations and reflections on gender roles and public and private spheres in Moroccan society, I wanted to bring to your attention an interesting article about a movement in Saudi Arabia aimed at replacing male attendants or merchants of women's lingerie with female attendants. Once again, it was another bit of news that helped me to take note of my surroundings and to try to understand why Morocco would put men instead of women as vendors of women's undergarments.

The BBC article titled "Saudi lingerie trade in a twist" goes on to say that a lot of women feel uncomfortable providing information on sizes and preferences to male strangers. You may wonder why a guy couldn't just estimate from looking, but even that would be difficult because in Saudi Arabia they are dressed in black from head to toe. In Morocco, you have a full spectrum of western wear to the more traditional djellabas worn by both young and old, but more so by older generations. The djellabas do have a lot more spice in terms of colors, fabrics(even leopard and tiger prints), and other accents like hand-knotted buttons and embroidery, but they also do not reveal much in terms of waist size. The article adds that even men are just as uncomfortable asking questions of their female patrons who may find their comments to be inappropriate and  could potentially get them in trouble.

Remembering back to my days working at various retail stores, I can't imagine being asked to manage the women's lingerie section; not that I wouldn't have minded helping the ladies, but I just know that I would not be able to provide the customer service that they would have needed. I can speak about men's underwear all day, but about women's I only have information from mass media like the Victoria's Secret fashion shows that I watch occasionally to monitor market trends and other commentary from some voluptuous ladies that complain that the current glorified anorexic look in much of the western world is making it harder and harder for them to find undergarments that fit. I can only imagine how weird it must be for my fellow Moroccans who manage the women's undergarments and the women's clothing shops. It's true that it is often hard to find a candid salesperson, but would the men ever tell a woman that that dress does make her look fat? I don't think most men conservative or liberal would, but women may and it is this honesty and personal experience that would likely keep customers coming back. From a profit standpoint, I am glad that I was put in charge of managing the gangsta rapper wear instead; despite having no real affinity to the style, but it's certainly a better match.

Venezuela is pretty open about panties and underwear. Females are for the most part the attendants of women's undergarments and clothing at your typical department store, but I always enjoyed the male street vendors(buhoneros) who would have no qualms about the merchandise they were selling and would yell from the bottom of their lungs, "PANTALETAS, PANTALETAS, PANTALETAS DE EEUU!!!"(PANTIES, PANTIES, PANTIES FROM THE USA!!!). And if they didn't get your attention then, they would put them in front of your face and yell in your ear that they were on sale. I'm sure there may be a number of male street vendors in Moroccan souks (markets) who have no reservations about what they're selling and are yelling "SLIP, SLIP, SLIP MN FRANSA!!!"(PANTIES, PANTIES, PANTIES FROM FRANCE), but I have yet to hear any and I would be surprised to hear one since sometimes Moroccans add a "Hashak"(I beg your pardon) when they talk about their slip(underwear).

Given the uneasiness on both sides, it makes perfect sense to replace the male attendants with female ones. The movement and its organizer, Reem Asaad, acknowledge that doing so would put a large quantity of men out of work, and as such the government will be reluctant to make any drastic changes. Ms. Asaad is also going up against a very conservative society that believes that the women's place is in the home. Morocco is no Saudi Arabia, but they do have a number of things in common. If Morocco was to put in a ban on men staffing lingerie or women's clothing shops, they would also be putting a lot of men out of work--I do want to note that many women in Morocco do staff your more upscale boutiques and stores in your major cities, but in the medina[old city] and rural areas most of the vendors are men. Women in Morocco can work, drive, vote, and enjoy many of the same rights that women in the western world have, but there are societal expectations for women that have a religious or cultural basis that expect women to be solely, as my host father explained to me once, the ministers of interior.

I encourage you to read the full article because like Annika Sorenstans's debut in the PGA, the movement is bringing to light an issue that has been widely accepted or perhaps adhered to, but now that it is under a spotlight and because of the attention it is receiving, the powers that be are reconsidering the situation. Ms. Asaad is putting pressure not on government, but on the retailers themselves by organizing boycotts of male-staffed stores. She is also putting together lingerie training workshops for ladies, and she is spreading the word about her movement through social networking sites like Facebook, which I believe has a fan page where you can keep up with new developments.

I do like her approach in terms of confronting the issue at a consumer level.  I hope that the owners of the lingerie shops start taking notice and begin employing some women. I do not say this as an American or as a desensitized Venezuelan, but as a man who acknowledges his limited knowledge of women's undergarments and stands in solidarity with women who I believe can best equip a lady with the garments she needs to feel comfortable and look fabulous.

A correction of sorts: 06 Nov 2010 - When I wrote this blog, I wrote that I had yet to hear a Moroccan street vendor advertise that he was selling women's underwear.  Well, the other day as I was walking through Khenifra's souq, I heard a young kid probably about 15 years old yelling in auctioneer mode "SLIP, SLIP, SLIP, miyatayn ryal (10DH)".  I was happy to hear it.  I only wished I had been walking with a female so that I could then observe how he would go about promoting the quality of his product.  Oh well, next time, inshallah.