On 12 September 2022, the team behind the Formation au Service du Leadership Féminin (FORSELF) phase 2 project, the fruit of a partnership between Action Education and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) through the "La Francophonie avec ELLES" fund, handed out grants to finance business plans to the 30 women who were direct beneficiaries. Individual grants ranging from CFAF 241,000 to CFAF 405,000 for a total of CFAF 9,770,500 to support the development of model individual businesses.
The FORSELF women's business plans cover 9 trades. These are hairdressing, weaving, pastry-making, catering, sewing, saponification, processing fabric scraps, making stoves and processing local products. Each woman, depending on her area of activity, has received technical and management training. The Collectif des Associations des Restauratrices et Transformatrices de Produits Locaux (CARTPL) was asked to provide training in the food industry. "We trained 5 women for a month in food processing. This involved making juice from monkey bread, tamarind and lianas. The training also covered the manufacture of monkey bread biscuits, ice cream, peanut butter and sweet and savoury peanuts. The women were very committed and assiduous during the training sessions", said Mrs Ouédraogo Mamounata, President of CARTPL.
Mrs Alizeta Tiendrebéogo is one of the 5 women who have benefited from CARTPL training. She is involved in groundnut processing. "I produce and sell groundnut legs. The training was very interesting for me. I learned new techniques to make my work easier. As well as groundnuts, I learned how to make salted and sweetened peanuts", said Ms Tiendrebéogo. As far as the subsidy is concerned, she has received more than 50% in funding for her business plan. "My business plan is 500,000 FCFA. I received a grant of 300,000 FCFA. With this money, I'm going to buy peanuts, an oven machine, plastics, buckets and wood", she said. For her, the grant is a springboard to boost her business. "With my earnings, I'll be able to get a loan from the Caisses populaires to finance the rest of my business plan", she reassures us.
Félicité Compaoré is a hairdresser. She is very satisfied with the training she received. "The training covered weaving, nail placement, mats, different cuts, braids, additions and plating. This has enabled me to improve my services and satisfy our increasingly demanding customers. I would like to thank the initiators of this project", she says. With regard to the grant, Mrs Compaoré received 294,800 FCFA out of a business plan funding requirement of 400,000 FCFA. "The amount received will be used to purchase equipment, including 2 malleable heads, a head washer, headphones and accessories, a workstation, a giant mirror, etc.," she explains.
Marie Rose Guissou is involved in the processing of fabric scraps. She received the sum of 405,000 FCFA to part-finance her business plan, valued at 1,200,000 FCFA. She plans to secure additional funding through a loan from the Caisses Populaires. "The grant will enable me to buy a sewing machine, a solar panel, a battery, glue and fabrics," she says.
With the support of the project in the form of a grant, the beneficiaries have promised to do their utmost to develop their activities.
