A Volunteer experiences Women’s Day in Cameroon

Three months after arriving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon in 2022, I experienced my first International Women's Day in another country. On that day I felt truly accepted and honored by my community.

I used to think that International Women’s Day, held annually in March, was nothing more than a day where people, mostly women, post a few photos and quotes uplifting women on social media.

After arriving in Cameroon, I was told that Women’s Day would be a grand occasion where people wore unique outfits made of special fabrics. When the day came, I saw more women in my village outside in the streets than ever before. Music blared from the mayor’s building and women wore bright yellow fabric with the year and national motto on it. I loved the creative and unique approach each woman took to create her dress. Even small girls wore special outfits.

The Women’s Day luncheon I attended involved a lot of pictures before sitting down for the meal. The local pharmacist and pediatric nurse had prepared food and drinks. Our hosts served me first, while everyone else took a pre-made plate from the table. Though I had only been at site for three months, my colleagues had learned that I didn’t like baton de manioc, a popular complement to meals in Cameroon, so they brought me bread instead.

Touched by these gestures, I was even more moved when I looked down at my plate. I had something on my plate that the others didn’t: the chicken gizzard. The gizzard is a part of a chicken that is given to the most respected person in the room—usually whoever has the highest title. Respect is very important in Cameroon, so I thanked them for giving me this alimentary sign of respect.

I didn’t feel deserving of this honor because the chief of medicine and other older people were there. Besides, it was still early in my service and all I had really done at that point was come to the clinic every day to speak bad French and ask when the mango trees in front of the clinic would be ripe.

Yet, as I ate the chewy organ, I realized that my presence was enough. No, I wasn’t a doctor or nurse. But I showed up every day. I had come halfway across the world to support the community, take part in holidays such as these, and much more.

Peace Corps service has given me a truly great opportunity to feel accepted and loved by a community abroad. The sense of community is the greatest strength of the people I live and work among, and I have no doubt that I will always be welcome here.