Future-oriented training for displaced people in Burkina Faso

As we have learned over the past few years, one of the strengths of APDC staff is their ability to adapt to a new situation and to provide meaningful support to those in need. (APDC is World Neighbours Canada’s partner organization in Burkina Faso). With most people in its rural program area having been displaced to the town of Fada by terrorist activities, APDC has had to find ways for newly displaced people to earn income while in an urban setting. Staff have been honest in their reporting; sharing both successes and challenges. Women who were trained in soap-making discovered that the soap produced was not as much in demand as they had hoped, because larger bars of soap are imported from the Ivory Coast and available at a better price. On the other hand, some of the women who developed a peanut marketing enterprise learned that the peanut products they manufactured were in high demand.

Rébéka Tankoano, the APDC Fada coordinator, recently visited a few of the women beneficiaries and spoke with them about their enterprise and the impact it’s had on their lives. Several of the women’s comments are included here:

Namounou Yonli: preparation of local dishes

“My business is doing well, and it’s helped me a lot to manage certain family expenses, such as the purchase of condiments, water and some of my children’s medical care. I’m going to start drying the leaves to store them for the next dry season, which will enable me to make more profit as leaves are currently very cheap. I would like to thank APDC for training and equipping me.”

Alima Onadja : preparation and marketing of groundnuts (peanuts)

“I transform peanuts into different products such as peanut paste, biscuits and peanut oil. Everything sells well and I can’t even satisfy my customers, my products aren’t enough for all the customers because I sell for several wholesalers, I give discounts and small gifts to customers and a lot of people are interested in my products. The work is a bit tiring and I can’t make enough, so I’m planning to look for an employee to help me and I’m going to pay her for her work; and as there are a lot of unemployed women and young girls, I think the person who helps me in my work will also be happy. Thanks to the profits I’ve made, I’ve been able to open a small workshop selling other products such as cosmetics (ointments, soaps, threads, etc.) and various products for children (toys, sweets, biscuits, etc.). I don’t know how to describe to you the very positive impact that APDC’s help has had on my life and that of my family. I would like to say a huge thank you to APDC for its support, it has saved us a lot from poverty.”

Agnès Yonli : preparation and marketing of soap

“Kabakourou soap (soap in a ball) used to sell well in the beginning, but the importation of Ivory Coast soap by local traders has spoilt the market. This soap is bigger than ours, so many people are no longer interested in our soap. Raw materials are expensive here, which prevents us from increasing the volume of our soaps, and if we make them as big as the Ivory Coast soap, we can’t make a profit, so it’s a bit complicated for us. Personally, I’m going to continue selling liquid soap, but only for the time being, as liquid soap is bought a little more cheaply here.”

Lissoaba Onadja : manufacture and marketing of soumbala ( a popular African condiment )

“My soumbala business is doing well. I really enjoy this activity. I earn profits that enable me to support my daughter-in-law with the purchase of water, condiments, wood and often food. My only major problem is that I can’t find wholesale customers because I don’t know the town of Fada very well, so I only sell in the small markets at our host sites. Many thanks to APDC and its employees who have helped us and who encourage us to succeed.”

APDC have let us know that they will continue to visit these new entrepreneurs and provide support as needed over the coming months. As with any new venture, modifications will be made as the learning is solidified and experience gained.

Supporting displaced rural people in Burkina Faso

Our partner organization in Burkina Faso, APDC has been busy since the middle of March supporting women who were forced to leave their rural homes and land at the end of December (at the request of the army, due to on-going terrorist issues). Families with few resources had to try to find a place to live in and around Fada, the major town in the province of Gnagna. With support from World Neighbours Canada, APDC trained a group of 35 women in a variety of agricultural income-generating activities that are possible to undertake in an urban refugee setting. These activities included soap-making, manufacture and marketing of soumbala (a very popular African condiment), preparation and sale of local food items and the manufacture and preparation of food items made with groundnuts (peanuts).

Nutrition is also a challenge. Most of the people living in the refugee reception sites are no longer able to practice good nutrition for themselves or their children. The difficulties they face are enormous. APDC, concerned about the dangers of child malnutrition for these vulnerable households, organized several awareness-raising sessions on nutrition. This activity involved explaining to participants the different types of food needed for children’s development, depending on their age, and how to combine local foods for healthy, balanced nutrition. After each awareness-raising session, the team carried out a cooking demonstration with the participants. The aim of the demonstration was to help the participants master the preparation of rich local meals (enriched porridge, enriched solid meals). A large quantity of rich meals was prepared at each site during the demonstration sessions and these meals were shared by all the participants at the end of the session (women and children). Each cooking demonstration was attended by between 150 and 180 people.

Due to the severe situation experienced by these internally displaced people, and with the aim of helping the most destitute beneficiaries to feed themselves during the initial stages of their move to Fada, APDC used part of World Neighbours Canada’s support to distribute food to particularly vulnerable people including widows, orphans, and old people who had been abandoned or disabled. In total, 32 people received 70 kg of cereals (millet) each.

It is hard to imagine the multiple difficulties faced by these villagers. The support APDC is providing with funding from World Neighbours Canada is definitely appreciated. Very few other organizations in eastern Burkina Faso are able to engage in community development work under the current circumstances. ADPC’s close links to rural people and its low profile allows it to continue working where other organizations have long ago left the area.

Empowering rural women in Burkina Faso – Video

We are very proud of a recent project that was completed in Burkina Faso by our partner APDC. The project was funded by a grant World Neighbours Canada obtained from the Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT). FIT is a program funded by Global Affairs Canada. After project completion, FIT provided additional funding to provide training and support for APDC to produce a video about the project to allow World Neighbours Canada to share the results of the project with Canadians, and also with other villages in Burkina Faso.

Rather than tell you about the project in detail, we thought we would share the video instead so you can hear the process and results from the participants themselves.

The video is from on our Youtube channel. You can see it here:

About the project briefly:

Following discussions with women in the rural Eastern region of Burkina Faso, APDC implemented activities with 110 women to allow each woman to set up and manage a household sheep-fattening enterprise. APDC provided training in basic bookkeeping, techniques in the care of the animals, how to choose an animal at the local livestock market, and entrepreneurial training – the traits of a successful business person. A key element of the project was engaging family members, and their embrace of the project was one of the highlights.

About APDC:

The full name of the partner organization is Association d’Appui à la Promotion du Développement durable des Communautés défavorisés. It is a small rural development organization in eastern Burkina Faso that World Neighbours Canada has supported, in a variety of ways, since 2009.

New research reveals extreme fluctuations between drought and flooding

By Bruce Petch, Volunteer Executive Director, World Neighbours Canada

Research findings released by the UK charity WaterAid describe how some dry regions of the world, including parts of Burkina Faso, are subject to a “whiplash” of extreme climate pressures. Periods of drought are followed by devastating floods. The research was done in partnership with the University of Bristol and Cardiff University (https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2023/november/flooding-and-drought.html).

The research is consistent with the experience of people living in the Eastern Region of Burkina Faso. World Neighbours Canada’s partner in the country, APDC, has often reported the seemingly contradictory observations that crops suffered from drought during the growing season, but severe flooding damaged the bunds in rice fields. APDC has been working with farmers to adapt to the changing climate. One strategy is to build more rice fields in slightly low-lying areas (the terrain is quite flat). If floodwaters can be controlled, rainfed rice production has the advantage of being less reliant on the distribution of rainfall over the growing season. Another strategy is to reduce reliance on field crops by supporting livestock production, market vegetables (where wells can provide water) and processing of agricultural products such as sesame.

Unfortunately, APDC’s work is hampered by a violent insurgency in the country that has caused many rural people to leave their homes and farms and seek refuge in towns where the army is better able to maintain security.

Thank you Lydia

Lydia presenting to Canadian students.WNC recently welcomed to B.C.: Lydia Tapsoba, a Gender Consultant from Burkino Faso .  Lydia has worked extensively with our local burkinabe partner, APDC.

In one day, Lydia completed 3 presentations to high school students and the general public; and travelled from Kamloops, to Oliver and on to Osoyoos, B.C. In between the presentations, Lydia found time to touch snow ( for the first time ever!), make a snowball, putt a few golf balls and dip her toes in Osoyoos Lake.

WNC welcomes Burkina Faso partner Lydia Tapsoba

World Neighbours Canada is very pleased to welcome Lydia Tapsoba, who will be visiting BC to present information about an innovative project done by APDC, the local partner of World Neighbours Canada in Burkina Faso. Judy Gray, a director with World Neighbours Canada, will travel with Lydia and assist with translation when necessary. 

We are excited about a number of presentations during Lydia’s visit, some open to the public:

Kamloops: Monday, September 25:

  • Private presentation: International Politics class at Thompson Rivers University
  • Public presentation: Plura Hills United Church
    • 7:00 pm
    • 2090 Pacific Way, Kamloops

Kamloops: Tuesday, September 26: 

  • Private presentation: SKSS French Immersion classes
  • Private presentation: McGowan Park Elementary
  • Private presentation: WNC donors / interested community members

Kamloops/Vernon: Wednesday, September 27:

  • Private presentation: Probus group (Kamloops)
  • Private presentation: Okanagan University College International Development class
  • Public presentation:
    • 6:30 pm at the Vernon Library
    • 2800 30th Ave, Vernon

Oliver: Friday, September 29:

  • Public presentation: Oliver Curling Club
    • 10:00 am
    • Oliver Curling Club Lounge
  • Private presentation: SOSS Social Justice class.
Abbotsford: Sunday, October 1:
  • Private presentation: World Neighbours Canada AGM in Abbotsford

Gibsons: Monday, October 2:

  • Public presentation: Gibsons Public Market
    • 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
    • Coastal Room
  • Private presentation: Gibsons Conversational French group

Vancouver: Tuesday, October 3: 

  • Private presentation: Virtual lecture at UCFV
  • Private presentation: Donor’s home

Vancouver: Wednesday, October 4:

  • Public presentation: British Columbia Council for International Cooperation (BCCIC) event

Abbotsford: Friday, October 6:

  • Private presentation: Aldergrove Rotary meeting

WHAT IS APDC?

The full name of the partner organization is Association d’Appui à la Promotion du  Développement durable des Communautés défavorisés. It is a small rural development organization in eastern  Burkina Faso that World Neighbours Canada has supported, in a variety of ways, since 2009.  

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION?

Lydia will be presenting information and results of a 15-month experimental project that APDC undertook in 2021- 2022. The project was funded by a grant World  Neighbours Canada obtained from the Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT). FIT is a program funded by Global Affairs Canada. After project completion, FIT provided additional funding to allow World Neighbours  Canada to share the results of the project with Canadians, and also with other villages in Burkina Faso. We are thrilled that Lydia is able to come to Canada to speak about the project and introduce a video created by APDC. 

WHO IS LYDIA TAPSOBA?

Lydia has worked with APDC when needed since 2007, as their Gender  Consultant. For the FIT project, she supported APDC and provided the staff with information to lead gender training workshops for the beneficiary women and their families. She led focus groups and designed surveys during the project to help better understand the gender equality situation in the area. Lydia lives in the capital, Ouagadougou, but has visited the project area many times and has first-hand knowledge of the challenges faced by rural women in the area and throughout Burkina  Faso.  

WHAT WAS THE EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT?

Following discussions with women in the rural Eastern region of Burkina Faso, APDC implemented activities with 110 women to allow each woman to set up and manage a  household sheep-fattening enterprise. APDC provided training in basic bookkeeping, techniques in the care of the animals, how to choose an animal at the local livestock market, and entrepreneurial training – the traits of a  successful businessperson.

A key element of the project was engaging family members, and their embrace of the project was one of the highlights. Following the short video, Lydia will participate in a facilitated discussion about the challenges and potential of economic empowerment of women farmers in a region affected by an increasingly unpredictable climate and frequent attacks by terrorists. Discussion after the video can focus on any of the following topics: 

  • empowering women to lead small family-run businesses
  • how men and youth are being included in projects that focus on women
  • why sheep fattening activities are important in the rural economy
  • approaches to alleviation of poverty in rural Burkina Faso
  • the effects of climate change in this region of the Sahel
  • the challenges of working in a region with a severe risk of terrorist attacks

For more information, contact Judy Gray at judyworldneighbours@gmail.com.

Impact Story – Burkina Faso

Suzane and Blandine with Rebeka, APDC coordinator – 2 women who purchased the sheep entirely on their own.

The impact of poverty is complex. Local and international politics, climate change, food insecurity, and culture are just a few of the influencing factors. This makes implementing development projects difficult as there are many factors creating the situation. Secondly, it is almost impossible to anticipate all the outcomes of these projects. That is why the Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT) was created. It allowed organizations to study innovative approaches. World Neighbours Canada was lucky enough to receive funding for their partner in Burkina Faso, Association d’Appui à la Promotion du Développement Durable des Communautés (APDC), to test an innovative solution aimed at increasing women’s full and equitable economic participation and empowerment in both household and the livestock smallholder sector.

The following impact story, posted on the FIT website, gives a sample of the different ways the program impacted the community, and one couple in particular. Some of the ways were expected, while some were pleasantly unexpected.

To read the article please visit: Impact Story

Updated Burkina Faso page with videos

World Neighbours Canada has updated the information on the Burkina Faso page of their website as our partner, APDC, has been very busy with a number of new projects. We encourage you to visit and see what has been happening.

Visit the Burkino Faso Page.

We especially encourage you to check out the slideshows on the left hand side of the page. These photos have been taken by one of our directors, Judy Gray, and the APDC staff.

Here is a taste of what they look like. This is titled “Activities.”

Perceptions of climate change in Burkina Faso

By Bruce Petch, Executive Director (volunteer) with World Neighbours Canada

World Neighbours Canada is actively engaged with our local partner organization in Burkina Faso to help adapt their farming and other economic activities to cope with a changing climate. Thus, we were interested to learn about work done by Farm Radio International to hear directly from people in the country how they are affected by climate change and what ideas they have for adaptation.

Farm Radio International received input from thousands of people who called into local radio stations in Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. The slides below summarize what was heard. Although the area where we work in Burkina Faso was not included, the information seems relevant to us. We were pleased to see that the situation and potential solutions described by callers are similar to what we described in our recent proposal submitted to Global Affairs Canada on the theme of adaptation to climate change.

(These slides are from a webinar delivered by Farm Radio International. You can watch the full webinar on YouTube at https://youtu.be/iQlpZQstPjA).

A first for women farmers – participation in the livestock market!

Suzane and Blandine with Rebeka, APDC coordinator – 2 women who purchased the sheep entirely on their own.

By Judy Gray,

Together with APDC, our partner organization in Burkina Faso, World Neighbours Canada recently completed a 15 month experimental project with funding from FIT (Fund for Innovation and Transformation), an initiative based in Manitoba that is funded, in turn, by Global Affairs Canada.

Over the 15 month term, 110 women from our project villages participated in family based sheep fattening enterprises, in which the women were the leaders of their business, but were supported by other household members. One of the most interesting and innovative aspects of the project, was the women’s participation in the purchase and sale of the sheep.

Although APDC had supported women in the past in sheep-fattening, prior to this project the women had never been involved in the purchase or sale of the animals. In fact, through focus group discussions that were held midway through the project, a number of both women and men mentioned that women who participated in such activities were viewed quite negatively. One person remarked that, “A woman who does this (attends the cattle market) should be banished from the family, she is a rebellious, wicked, witchy, independent woman. She is a woman who has no respect for her husband, who has social difficulties.” On the other hand, some rare men positively appreciate a woman who sells and buys animals on her own and describe her as ‘courageous and a fighter’.”

Fada cattle market.

However, with the extensive training that the women received from the veterinarian, these women felt they had the knowledge and skills to participate in the purchase and sale of their animals. Here is a sample of the women’s comments:

Vet checking the health of newly purchased sheep; and giving vaccinations; village of Tambiga.

Kayaba: “I learned the process, I can’t pay alone but with my son I can. We were very, very tired, very, very tired. I know how expensive animals are, so I was very tired of walking around the market to find the right animals.”

Blandine – “It’s very very tiring, I even have headaches, it’s hard because the sun has hit us a lot, also the animals are very expensive. I chose my animals and negotiated the prices alone.”

Taking the animals home.

Choosing good healthy animals is something the women are now confident with, but negotiating with marketers for a fair price continues to be challenging: “When customers see the women, they raise the price of the animals… When they see the women selling, they lower the prices too much, thinking that the women know nothing about animal prices” (woman from Gnianmanga). The women of Tambiga confirm this by suggesting that they get help from a man because “The traders at the market are thieves, swindlers. They lower the prices of the animals sold by the women too much.”

Rebeka recording the amount paid for the sheep.

Despite these issues, men’s and women’s attitudes changed dramatically over the course of the project and by the end, the men were much more positive about their wives attending the cattle market, thanks in part to the gender sessions offered to the men, women and adolescents. “We appreciate all the women who are able to buy or sell their own animals because it is a proof that they are enlightened. This means that these women get along well with their husbands, these kinds of women are to be encouraged and congratulated because they will help their husbands a lot” (women from Tambiga village).

For the men, the support of APDC has been very beneficial. One man said, “Before, I could not consult my wife for decisions because she could not say anything good to me, but now we do everything together. The woman was like a slave in our families, but today everything has changed”. Another added that “I exchange with my wife before taking a decision. Today, we are aware that women have good ideas that can help in the family and even in the village.” According to the men, the situation has changed in favour of women partly because of their increased financial power. “If the woman has the financial means, her husband listens to her”.

@ women at home with their newly purchased sheep.

The women have suggested further information sessions about how to conduct negotiations to buy and sell sheep. It is challenging for them, especially in light of the male-dominated process and the low literacy and numeracy skills of most women. Despite all the challenges, all of the 110 women who participated in the initiative continue to operate their sheep-fattening businesses.

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