Story of lady with blue headdress....

Hadjia Fatina Sadikou is the most senior women's group leader and one of the most prominent, well-respected women in the community. She is widowed and has two children-a daughter who is married and lives in a village nearby, and a son who lives in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (He recently bought and sent her the new cell phone you see around her neck.) Hadjia is one of the most well-traveled women we know. Her given name is Fatima, but because she has done the pilgrimage to the Islamic holy city of Mecca, she has earned the title of Hadjia. During her younger years, she and her husband lived and worked in Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Hadjia is our "village grandmother." She is very generous, thoughtful, and loves to laugh.

Story of lady with orange and turquoise headdress.....

Abi Jabala is widowed and has two sons....one lives in Ivory Coast and one in Benin, where they are both small shop owners. During her younger years, Abi and her husband lived in the Ivory Coast for ten years, where he sold fruit and small household goods. With the money she earns from her goats, Abi wants to buy additional goats and raise and sell them until she has enough money to purchase a cow.

Story of lady with red headdress.....

Asha Sidi is one of the women's group leaders. She has five children. Two sons who live and work as shop owners in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and three daughters ages 9-14 who live with her. Asha's husband farms in the village and also spends time in Abidjan working. Asha is by far the most motivated, energetic, and hard-working woman we know. She is our female counterpart for work projects and one of our best friends. She jokingly says she wants to save her money so she can come to America to visit us.