Informal female mentorship in Fatou Diome's Celles qui attendent

This chapter explores informal female mentorship in Franco-Senegalese author Fatou Diome’s 2010 novel Celles qui attendent. The novel’s female protagonists attempt to better their circumstances as well as those of their families by developing their own codes of female mentorship in a context far removed from orthodox mentoring settings. Informal mentor-mentee partnerships between female friends and family members ultimately redefines what it means to grow both intellectually and emotionally whilst underscoring the important role that context plays in mentorship expression.