We mark International Infertility Awareness Week 2018 with a short film celebrating the role that the Kanyaleng play in supporting childless women and breaking taboos about infertility in The Gambia, West Africa.
The Kanyaleng are women who all have in the past, or still are struggling with infertility or child mortality. Kanyaleng are excellent singers, dancers and drummers. They often perform at public gatherings and celebrations such as weddings and naming ceremonies and are known for their bold acting and ridicule.
Kanyaleng membership is a useful coping strategy. The solidarity of women of the same village or community, united by their struggles to meet standard of womanhood as mothers, and the pressure society puts on them, create strong support networks. Furthermore membership helps them improve their long term status, both social and economic.
The Kanyaleng, outspoken, articulate and experienced performers, proved very successful in delivering the message that was otherwise sometimes difficult to understand for people in the rural area’s of
the Gambia.
This role as ‘Traditional Communicators provided the Kanyaleng not only with some extra income, but it also helped their status as productive members of society. In the future we hope to involve Kanyaleng kafoo in our educational outreach programs on the subject of infertility awareness.
Fllow the link for more information on International Infertility Awareness Week