Service Learning 3

The third day of service learning most closely related to the planners and searchers reading and discussion. Through our interaction with the women we have learned that they are incredible in supporting and sustaining their own business methods and habits. On this day we walked with a few of the women to the corn processing machine that de shells the corn so they can turn it into flour. The machine is naturally owned and operated by a man who chared 2000 CFA for the first batch done and 1500 for the second. The womens ability to price out the cost of using the machine while still making a profit proves their adaptability in searching for ways of making a successful compound. Their adaptability has also been shown in their history as they have changed products based on the market. Their attititude fits well with the capitalist mentality that the author of the planners versus searchers article stated and is why they are doing so well. Everyone is held accountable and everyone has a say in what production methods and strategies are best for the betterment of the whole.

On a side note, while we were waiting for the corn to be processed me and Mike walked over to a store next door and tried to converse with the owners in our terrible, broken French. As we we struggled Delia, a fluent French speaker joined our adventure and became our middle man and translator. The men speaking to her were very confused as to why she, the woman, could speak French and that the men could not. This just reinforces the idea of male dominance in Beninois culture and im sure Delia left the man with a strong impression of the capabilities of women in America.