Neighbour helping neighbour
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.
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.
Kamloops: Monday, September 25:
Kamloops: Tuesday, September 26:
Kamloops/Vernon: Wednesday, September 27:
Oliver: Friday, September 29:
Gibsons: Monday, October 2:
Vancouver: Tuesday, October 3:
Vancouver: Wednesday, October 4:
Abbotsford: Friday, October 6:
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:
For more information, contact Judy Gray at judyworldneighbours@gmail.com.
One of the small projects World Neighbours Canada (WNC) supported over the past couple years was providing materials for latrines, water collection and hygienic supports for schools in communities around Concepcion de Maria, Choleteca.
As a result of the Covid-19 epidemic the government of Honduras changed the requirements for schools in Honduras to have cement floors, latrines and water for cleaning purposes. This was to ensure hygienic conditions. Unfortunately, these requirements were not supported with funds and many schools could not open.
In the community of Majada we visited one of these schools that we supported. It is a one room kindergarten school that used to have a dirt floor and no latrine. Now it has a new cement floor, a water collection cistern, and two toilets. WNC provided the materials but all the work, including carrying the materials the two kilometres from the road, was provided by parent volunteers. Vecinos Honduras provided the technical support.
We were treated to many enthusiastic children who, along with their dynamic teacher Dileyla Funez, entertained us with song and dance. We got the sense that the dancing was more for the children than for us, but it was wonderful to see the joy and exuberance of the children, and the pride of the parents.
In total, 76 girls and 69 boys from four (4) educational centres in the communities La Majada, La Plomosa, El Peñón #2 and El Peñón #1 will have improved health conditions as a result of the construction of latrines and the installation of water storage tanks to harvest rainwater from the roofs.
Seventy-six parents were involved on the installation of the tanks at these educational centres by carrying materials, providing unskilled hand labour and gaining awareness about creating healthier environments for boys and girls.
This February, World Neighbours Canada (WNC) board members Gabriel Newman and Judy Gray along with WNC volunteer Peter Gray visited Honduras to see the work that was being done by our partners there, Vecinos Honduras. They will be sharing stories and information that they have gathered over the next few months. Write up by Gabriel Newman. Photos by Judy Gray.
In Azabache we met Ever Perez. He is a 28 year old father of two who started his own wood working company with the support of Vecinos Honduras (VH). After finishing school at grade 9 he wanted to become an engineer but his parents could not afford to send him away to complete high school and attend university. Instead, he worked locally as a labourer. One of his hobbies was woodworking and he would carve keychains. He was selling them at a local fair when he met Manuel Castellanos, the facilitator with VH. VH was looking for young people who might be interested in learning some entrepreneurial skills.
Ever worked with Manuel to create a business proposal and to apply for a small loan from VH (the money was supplied by Groundswell, an American NGO whose methodology is similar to World Neighbours). With his loan he was able to buy a couple power tools as he was previously doing all his work by hand. He paid back the loan and took out another loan to buy a generator and some land to build an actual shop.
Ever said his business is very busy. He has hired two employees to help him. His little company builds everything from doors, bedframes, boxes, novelties, and decorations. He says he has plenty of work. His business makes it possible to stay in the community and raise his children here.
Vecinos Honduras has worked with communities in Azabache for twelve years and plans to leave by the end of 2023. Towards the end of the project, after working on capacity building, agroecology, water, and maternal/child health, the community was looking for ways to help keep their young people in the area as employment option are limited. Working with the communities, Vecinos Honduras, supported by other agencies, began working with many young adults on how to become entrepreneurs. Various trainings were provided to support the development of business ideas. Small loans were also available to help the participants made key purchases.
Outside funding ended to properly complete supporting these entrepreneurs and community groups (more to come on that later). World Neighbours Canada has stepped in to support VH in these communities to ensure that these enterprises learn proper bookkeeping and other essential administrative skills to help ensure their success. Ever admits that the administrative side of the business is his least favourite but he is proud of what he has been able to build in three years.
This February, World Neighbours Canada (WNC) board members Gabriel Newman and Judy Gray along with WNC volunteer Peter Gray visited Honduras to see the work that was being done by our partners there, Vecinos Honduras. They will be sharing stories and information that they have gathered over the next few months. Write up by Gabriel Newman. Photos by Judy Gray.
This February, World Neighbours Canada (WNC) board members Gabriel Newman and Judy Gray along with WNC volunteer Peter Gray visited Honduras to see the work that was being done by our partners there, Vecinos Honduras. They will be sharing stories and information that they have gathered over the next few months. Write up by Gabriel Newman. Photos by Judy Gray.
In the community of El Chaparral, outside of the town of Langue, in what is known as the “dry corridor” of Honduras, we met with a group of farmers who recently started working with Vecinos Honduras.
One of the first steps is to create a map of their community highlighting the features, houses, strengths and weaknesses. They are showing us their map. The map will be upgraded as things change in the community. We interrupted them as they were digging a new well for the community. They were very happy to show us the locations of the water sources.
This group of farmers have come together to work on a shared plot with the intention of experimenting with seed production. They are cross pollinating to create a bean that is even more productive in their particular ecological area. They recently won “best beans” at a local fair.
They want to continue improving production using natural and organic means. They also hope that they are able to save enough seeds to get them through the dry season, when many farmers run out of their own seeds to eat and have to buy at inflated prices. Their future plans involve buying more silos to store the seeds.
International Development Week is from February 5 to 11, and the BCCIC (BC Council for International Cooperation) is holding a couple events in which we think our members might be interested.
On February 7 @ 12:00-1:30pm, a panel discussion called Fresh Food, Distressed Planet: Women’s Leadership, Food Security, Climate Justice & Peace and will feature three panellists from Cuso International, Oxfam South America, and Grandmothers Advocacy Network. The panellists will “ explore women’s lived realities and leadership in the intersecting areas of food security, gender equality, the climate crisis and peace in different regions of the world.”
On February 9th at 10-11:30am a webinar titled Inside & Out: In Defence of Indigenous Land Rights in Tanzania will feature two Tanzanian activists who are working to advance Indigenous Peoples’ rights and priorities.
For more information and to register click here:
Fresh Food, Distressed Planet Or Inside Out
An American international development organization called Groundswell International (with which we have many connections) has produced an inspiring set of films produced by youth in Burkina Faso, Honduras, Nepal and Ecuador. The films are modest and genuine, not slick and professional. They provide insights into the lives of rural people in each country, and what they are doing to grow more food. It is impressive that the films were made by amateur youth filmmakers.
Please take some time to watch these films. Seldom do we hear stories that come so directly from people in developing countries, without adornment.
Note that the films do not cover programs supported by World Neighbours Canada, but they do reflect the reality and experiences of the people we work with in Burkina Faso, Honduras and Nepal.
Yours,
Bruce Petch
Friends,
We are excited to share the recording of Field to Film: Youth Storyteller Film Festival. It was a truly uplifting event, and we wanted to offer you another chance to watch and to share with others.
Young people shared their stories, through their videos, about how they and their communities are creating healthy farming, food systems, and futures from the ground up. Odette (Burkina Faso), Gelder (Honduras), Champha (Nepal), and Lenin (Ecuador) joined to share perspectives on their work and what being a Youth Storyteller means to them.
We were thrilled (and a bit surprised) that we were able to overcome technical, language interpretation, and time zone constraints to create this space for young people’s voices.
Please donate today so that we can continue supporting young people to create and share ground up solutions to feed the world and regenerate land and communities.
Steve Brescia
Executive Director
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).
On December 2nd at 12:00pm EST there will be a virtual Film Festival organized by Groundswell International which will feature the voices of Youth Storytellers from the three countries that World Neighbours supports through our partners. These films bring you examples of empowerment, transformation, and triumph.
Tickets are limited so sign up in advance. You can access tickets here. Tickets.
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’.”
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:
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.”
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.”
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”.
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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