THE CHALLENGE OF GROWING TOGETHER
In rural areas of Burkina Faso, 90% of the people live below the poverty line. Among the causes of this condition there are certainly the shortcomings of an agricultural sector very tied to tradition and which is struggling to innovate.
Mani Tese, with the project "Innovative social enterprises and participation of migrants for social inclusion in Burkina Faso" co-financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and Maria Enrica Foundation, wants to contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the rural population favoring the development of productive, entrepreneurial and innovative activities, enhancing local and agro-ecological agricultural production and promoting the involvement of women, young people and migrants in Italy.
The project also aims to promote quality products from small local producers who are unlikely to be placed on the market.
The project is carried out by a vast partnership of which Mani Tese is the leader and which includes other Italian companies such as the ACRA Foundation, Chico Mendes ONLUS SCSRL, the Center for International Political Studies (CeSPI), Ital Watinoma and the Municipality of Milan, and reality of Burkina Faso such as the Municipality of Ouagadougou, the National Federation of Rural Women of Burkina (FENAFERB), the National Federation of Agro-Food and Processing Industries of Burkina (FIAB) and the Watinoma Association.
In this blog we want to tell the stories of producers and entrepreneurs who, thanks to the support of the project, are growing their businesses and the future of their communities.
1. ELISABETH’S WONDERFUL FUTURE
“Alone we go faster, but together we go further” is the motto of the president of the women’s cooperative “Beog Neere” in Burkina Faso.
2. THE DREAM OF LIVING WITH YOUR OWN CHILDREN
Rakiatou is a tireless worker who, together with other women, processes cereals and produces biscuits that she wants to export abroad. Her dream is to return to live with her children.
3. DIDIER, AN AMBITIOUS ENTREPRENEUR
The young president of the Zaak Songo cooperative in Ramongo in Boulkiemdé, which produces and sells organic papaya jam.
4. LÉA’S REDEMPTION
Léa, an entrepreneur from Burkina Faso, together with 9 other women created the Lompar association, which deals with the processing and transformation of niébé, a local bean with which couscous is also prepared.
5. ANTOINETTE’S STORY
Antoinette, thanks to Mani Tese, is developing a soumbala production company in Burkina Faso and dreams of opening a factory to grow together with the women of the Association she helped found.
6. ZOULAHYA, THE LADY OF PEANUTS
Aged only 24, Zoulahya has been part of the Zuba Wanki association for 6 years, which produces and processes peanuts in Burkina Faso.
7. IDRISSA’S CHICKENS
Idrissa, of the Union des Jeunes Leaders du Boulgou association, tells us how he started the chicken farming business, a very serious “business” in Burkina Faso.
8. GERTRUDE AND THE SHEA BUTTER FACTORY
Gertrude’s dream is to have a large shea butter factory to make her workers economically independent.
9. SARINA’S TOMATOES
The President of the Beog Neere cooperative for the transformation of local products including tomato preserves, which she dreams of exporting to Europe.
10. ALIGUETOU’S “GRAS” RICE
Aliguetou joined the Zekoula Panga cooperative to make available her experience and learn new things: discover her story!
11. OUMAROU’S CHOICE
Oumarou decided not to migrate and to stay in Burkina Faso to continue working as a farmer with the Youkouma cooperative.
12. JEANNE’S COUSCOUS
Jeanne, together with her companions, produces couscous and other food products highly appreciated by customers. Their dream is to be known throughout the country.
13. MARIAM AND THE PRODUCTS OF TRADITION
Mariam produces shea butter and soumbala and would like her cooperative to become a reference point for the entire village.
14. ZALISSA, UNITY IS STRENGTH!
The Languem Taaba La Tongo cooperative produces tomatoes and onions and dries them in order to make them available across the whole year.
15. THE DAMATA COOKIES
The Wousso Goutta cooperative produces very good and nutritious bean biscuits which they would like to export outside the village as well.
16. MARIAM, LA REGINA DEL SOUMBALA
La cooperativa Wend Songré non solo ha dimostrato che è possibile fare un’impresa di successo, ma sta anche fornendo acqua potabile a tutto il villaggio.
17. MOUMINI AND SESAME OIL
The cooperative Koumare has an ambitious project: to realize a center for the transformation of sesame into oil. Discover the history of Moumini.
18. MARIAM AND THE SHEA BUTTER
Thanks to the “Enterprise” project, the Song Taaba cooperative is increasing production and making the women who are part of it more and more autonomous.
A WEB SERIES DEDICATED TO SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN BURKINA FASO
20 videos to tell the stories of the project “Innovative social enterprises and migrants participation for social inclusion in Burkina Faso”. Find out more!