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Category Archives: Needs
The truth about stories
A friend living in Bamako told me about a young man from Ségou she had encountered multiple times over the past month or so. He had traveled to the capital to sell necklaces to gather the money needed to repair … Continue reading
8 March
‘You will be taking the day off tomorrow, won’t you?”, Ibrahim asked me on Monday. ‘Why would I be taking the day off tomorrow?”, I asked him in surprise. “I’m having a day off today.” The 8th of March always … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Energy, Family Life, Love, Mali, Needs, Time
Tagged day, international, Mali, sharing, task, women
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Time is a funny thing
Time is what we make of it. Our thoughts about time create our truth and they may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Continue reading
The white gold
Depending on where in the world you are and who you talk to, white gold may have a different meaning. When in Burkina Faso, white gold usually refers to cotton. Cotton is quite a popular crop for farmers in several … Continue reading
Posted in Burkina Faso, Business, Food, Money, Needs
Tagged Burkina Faso, cotton, farmer, harvest, middleman, monopoly, Papillon Reizen, white gold
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Chez Mimi
‘I envy your hair’, Mimi says with a dreamy look on her face, running her fingers through my curls. Having spent four days in a village with a local family, dividing our time between family, business matters and a lot … Continue reading
Posted in Feelings, Needs, Togo, Water
Tagged African princesses, clean, curls, hair wash, Papillon Reizen, Togo
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Togo by night
By the time we leave from the border night has fallen. I’m back in the middle of the last line of chairs. Long waits, it still being hot and it being even more packed and crowded, make that I feel … Continue reading
Posted in Feelings, Needs, Papillon Reizen, Time, Water
Tagged bus, dust, holes, loud music, movie, Papillon Reizen, shower, Togo
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Africa’s cleanest city
Coming straight from Europe I hadn’t really noticed it at first. Apparently I had so gotten used again to clean streets, that it seemed normal for the streets of Ouagadougou to be clean too. And if it weren’t for Yves … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Family Life, Money, Needs
Tagged Burkina Faso, clean, Papillon Reizen, social security, welfare, widow
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Everybody’s courtyard
A neighbour at our courtyard left for Bamako not too long ago. He told us that he would be staying there for a while. Since he has the habit of staying up late and putting his TV out on his … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Family Life, Feelings, Love, Mali, Needs
Tagged courtyard, garbage, griot, honeymoon, Mali, neighbour, Papillon Reizen, party
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Not easy!
‘Look at that!’ Talouta’s finger is pointing outside to the women passing by in the pouring rain. It’s raining cats and dogs, neither one of us, nor any of the other people around, is even considering to leave our shelter … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Family Life, Feelings, Food, Mali, Needs, Season
Tagged easy, grateful, heavy, Mali, market, Papillon Reizen
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