Fatoumata Kane Ki-Zerbo, the daughter of the Sahel, is not a woman like the others. She is a tireless jack-of-all-trades of infinite wisdom. A committed activist, she dreams of a better world so that everyone, but above all everyone, can find their place in our societies and live in dignity. She fights daily so that the girls of Africa have another future through her job but also through her pen.
Fatoumata Kane Ki-Zerbo, you are a psychotherapy practitioner and a graduateohed in economics and in communications. You know the African continent well. Do you see a difference in the condition of women between the MAli, the Senotequal and Burkina Faso, country owhere you sawcu ? I believe you have vecu also in Guineae…
I came, late in life, ten years ago, to the helping relationship as a practitioner in psychotherapy, an exhilarating journey between Nice and Montrealthere where I did my training and my practical internships, in professional retraining after having worked as a bank organizer and then an auditor in an international bank. I have had the good fortune to live in many countries in Africa, including the Sénotegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, theAlgeria, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. I visitedthere are a lot of‘other countries on the continent and beyond. It seems to me that the condition of women is essentially theameme, worldwide. In Africa, in the countries you mentioned, there are heavy social constraints which impose a more alienating constraint on adapting to the mould. There is at trClearly, a socio-cultural and religious constraint, which sequesters many women, absolutely wanting to look good, and from there, do themselves violence by undergoing stoïonly all abuses.
How do you explain this systemic violence that persists in Africa? Have you noticed an awareness since the #Metoo movement ?
Systemic violence against women persists on all continents. It is, in my opinion, based on male fragility which only draws its vaunted strength from the submission of women, this alter ego, unfortunately considered as inferior. The patriarchy is the‘supreme illustration of a certain wrong-to be masculine. It takes a big dose of doubt of oneself to methodically sit the‘inftrivialization of the‘other ; he there is probably also a scare e enormous female potential, including the power of her mysteriously intimidating fertilizing womb.
The #Metoo movements have made great emulators among some African youth. My fear is to see this forehead produce the opposite effect to that intended, by not focusing enough on the essentials, namely the denunciation of misdeeds for which we must demand punishment at all costs. But when we rush on the way to the permanent invective and insults, we are unfortunately reduced to what‘there is something more obscure in the human being. Women should be very vigilant in how they lead feminist struggles and not let themselves get in the way.îstarmotivatesé permanent qui n‘in the end advances, in no way, their claims.
You are also a committed woman and a lover of literature. You created the Lakalita publishing house, the magazine and the Espace Lakalita firm. What does Lakalita mean and what is your star line?editorial ?
I am a writer, author of seven books, I am co-author of several collective works and I‘have many articles to my credit. JI cree the Lakalita publishing house in June 2010 and j‘in 2015, I added the consulting firm and the magazine by creating the‘Espace Lakalita which has now become a cultural and development space, first dedicated to girls and women. Lakalitameans enot bambara of “things to tell”. Our lineeditorial, axed on the promotion of African literature, s‘also opens up to all the literatures of the world and to the richness of the diversity of ideas.are. Our ambition is to be effective players in the promotion of African literature through quality works in paper format, but also by appropriating new communication techniques with the publication of digital books.
Tell us about the collective “Until death s‘follow » publishedé this year by your publishing house ?
The unique collective book project Until dead s‘then ! is a co-creation initiated by Lakalita editions between the victims, the writers·are african·nes, and the professionals·the helping relationship. Its ambition is to bring together, connect, and feerate efforts to better combat gender-based violence together. The main objective is to rally a strong mobilization around the book through awareness-raising among all communities through the‘organization of company meetingsyoucivil society, in high schools and universities, in companies, ultimately, everywhere owhere that sbeforeere nnecessary, but also through interactive exchanges, and‘organization of webinars with writers and resource persons, for the promotion and protection of the rights of girls and women.
General incomenotergenerated by the sale of the book will be made available to important and promising projects.‘humanity in the areas of development, education and advancement of girls and women, more specifically on the identity, history,‘self-esteem, and leadership.
I quote you : “As women committed to our communities, our mission is to leave as hheritage to women of the next generationnotgeneration, a more fulfilling world than the one we know”. Can you explain to uswhere you come and what is your background to entice young girls of new generationsnoterations to fight and perseverate again and again ?
VS’is an excerpt from the conclusioncrite for “Until dead s‘then ! “. What m‘really matters, it is to have a vision, according to our areas of expertise, which allows us to project ourselves and prto prepare a better world for us, but also for those who come after us; equip girls and women to‘today‘today to build their self-esteem and skills. The feminism that I prohne is a voluntary commitment structured by the‘attitude, know-how, interpersonal skills that do not allow any dithering on gender equality, on the need for everyone’s well-being·e for the good of all·your, and on relations appeasedes between men and women. To do this, you have to go to I’essential, by getting out of the eternal excitement which for ages has made women a caricature of the weaker sex. Our strength will be our ability to impose the respect that changes the way society looksyoué, breaking all the glass ceilings insidiously built to keep the woman in a minor position.
From the banks of the Djoliba River, to the shores of the Red Sea; from the breathtaking view of the MéMediterraneanee Algiers, passing through the superb dunes of the Sahara in Mauritania and the splendid Atlantic Ocean which borders theohyour Dakaroises, me the daughter of the Sahel, I‘I had an atypical career. I have always lived, from a very young age, between several continents and this has given me a unique view of the world. The encounter with racism, the clash of interreligious conflicts mehave forged to push the reflection on the‘importance of the terroir and I’appropriation of cultural heritage.
Today, through my program “Finding Harmony!” » I listen and iaccompanies those who wish, especially girls and women, to move forward serenely towards their goals by working on self-esteem, quality of life and leadership for a journey of transformation that soothes and restores confidence. I am also involved in NLP, stress management, Non Violent Communication, in connection with other professionals·them through writing, theater, drawing and painting workshops, by applying artistic projects to therapeutic, educational and social projects.
I am a member of several think tanks, including Carrefour, Faith and Spirituality for a better interreligious dialogue, the Agora of the Inhabitants of the Earth which advocates a humanity responsible for living together and the defense of common public goods. I am also a member of Council of the Wisdoms of the Peoples of the Earth in which we reflect on the creation of a Parliament of Planetary Citizenship through the Muthe convergence of Global Networks, an exhilarating mission to set up a model of planetary governance of peoples, to leave no one behind. I am also a member of the Parliament of Francophone Writers which allows us to have a platform of multiple expressions. I am a wife, mother and grandmother and I wish to see in the eyes of my granddaughter and of all the girls of the continent the flame, which illuminates Africa and the world through determination, the principle of dignity and benevolence, which promotes the individual and assigns him a place in society.
Interview by Laurence Dionigi 50-50 Magazine