Information:
 Ask
around for someone to wash your clothing—nearly every
Gambian has a mother/sister/aunt/wife that will do your
laundry each week, for a small fee. You usually will
have to buy soap from a local shop to hand over with
your load. The price for a laundry load of about a dozen
pieces, including socks, should be around £2.50,
and includes hand washing, air drying, and ironing.
You will have to wash underwear and bras on you own—a
good place to do this is in your bathroom sink, the
larger bathroom sink at the end of your hall, or a bucket
bought from the market. Clothesline and clothespins
can also be bought from the market or most supermarkets.
Before someone washes you laundry by hand do ask them
whether they will wash your underwear. The reason is
that some washerwomen don't do this out of tribal beliefs.
This should not be a problem in many of the larger tourist
hotels as they tend to use industrial washing machines,
sub-contract the work or staff you are prepared to do
this.
Women who wash your clothes and other chores are called
Mbindan, or specifically faoutcat.
When you want your clothes washed you say "Dama
booga faout suma yere yi". |
