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Athiémé celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March at the secondary school’s playing fields. The basketball and handball teams, the two sports with girls’ included, had prepared the courts for the games, which meant that the courts had actually been drawn in, the lines scratched out with a hoe. We set up a tent at each court for the spectators and hauled the benches and chalkboards from the school. No matter how many times I mentioned it, we were still missing the water buckets by game time. I finally yelled and water appeared in buckets on a couple of people’s heads for the teams.

The teams were scheduled to arrive at noon for lunch before the games began at 15h. Two of three teams were on time, the third arriving two hours late. But that was the brilliance of my plan, if I say so myself: I invited the teams at noon so that even if they were late, the main event could still begin on time. I also avoided lateness by not scheduling speeches.

The boys played first. I figured that with the strength of the sun at 15h, there wouldn’t be too many spectators, and because it was a day for the girls, I wanted the girls to get more attention than the boys. This kind of backfired in two ways: a very light rain at the end of the boys’ game lasted long enough to chase some of the viewers away (luckily we had tents for the people, but the motorcycles were left unprotected), and frankly, the girls did not play well. I am not familiar with the girls’ handball team, but after two years of playing with the girls’ basketball team, I desperately coached the worst game I have seen those girls play. Maybe it was the pressure to play in front of a crowd. I don’t think it was entirely poor coaching, they’re used to that.

The day went very well, with much encouragement from the population. The Red Cross donated their services, and the NGO I work with helped me clean up, run errands, and take pictures. Each school received a ball for their sport, the Mono region Direction of Sports contributing two basketballs. The mayor’s office covered the meal we served the players before the games began. The school’s coach also coached me on how to distribute prizes and make sure the local authorities were taken care of. We just don’t talk about the scores, since Athiémé only won in boy’s handball. Knowing that the community appreciates and supports the effort the organization of the day required, I am encouraged that nearly three years of basketball have not been worthless.

But the objective of the day was attained: to let the teams play, especially the girls’ teams. Thus Athiémé is a bit closer to the goal of International Women’s Day: the full respect and recognition of a woman’s contributions. A woman can learn to be confident and recognize what she is worth, but a man needs to know as well. What better way is there to cultivate respect and confidence other than by beginning with the youth, and even more, by playing sports? If you level the playing field, each one knows where he or she stands, and everyone begins together. Boys, too, often don’t have confidence as much as girls don’t. The more often boys and girls encourage each other and work together, the more they will consider the other more reasonably.

The informal celebration continued at my home the following day. I made lunch for my dear friend Miminon and her children, and was amused by Francine, Elodie, Gloria, Candida, and other pre-teen neighborhood girls who came by to do laundry but played Old Maid instead. The 8th of March is the day we recognize and encourage all women, myself included, to be entirely, gloriously, un-hesitatingly herself, for no one can succeed in undervaluing a woman who knows what she is about.

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