While African women face the challenge of increasing dependence as they grow older, they also gain personal power and autonomy, the nature of which is partially determined by the opportunities available and older women's resourcefulness.

In a small farming village in the country of Mali, an older woman named Sira resides with her sons. Now widowed and the eldest member of her extended family, Sira has lived in her husband's village since she was a young bride. On most days Sira can be found in her compound sitting on a mat under …