Team UGF/CDN
(Due to limited internet access we are posting this later than planned!)
Hi everyone! Despite the UK volunteers landing on Wednesday
(11th January), it was not until the following Tuesday that our team
became complete. We have survived hospitalisation, a chest infection and the
fact that two of our number failed to emerge, leading to two very last minute, but
much appreciated, recruits; but we are finally together and cannot wait to
start!
UGF/CDN is an association of women’s groups, based in Réo,
which aims to improve women’s economic and social independence from men, in the
Sanguié
province of Burkina Faso. It fights for women’s rights, in areas such as
health, education, literacy, sanitation and gender equity. Much of their work
centres around the production of shea butter, as it is abundant in the area
and, therefore, can provide women with a proper income, aiding them in their
financial independence.
After three, somewhat long, days of training, we arrived in
Réo
on Sunday and we were very excited to meet our host families. We received a
very warm welcome from all and it was brilliant to be surrounded by so many
children and animals. I was joined by a chick for my first bucket shower, but
felt this very much added to the experience! However, I was rather surprised
the next morning to see my “dad” driving the UGF/CDN car!
On the Monday we arrived at UGF/CDN for the first time and
met the staff. We had a tour of the site and wherever we went we were met with
smiles. We saw the various stages of the shea butter production, the lovely
garden and the pig pen, which was made by one of the previous cohorts. The next
day was focused on meeting the key establishments in Réo. We were introduced to the
police, the Mayor and finally the military. However, this required a great deal
of cycling. We were so tired after this, we literally crashed out in the office
afterwards-Burkinabes and British alike! On Wednesday, our working day ended by
meeting the chief of Réo, a very important figure. However, he was not at all
intimidating and welcomed us to the area.
We have ambitious plans for the next three months. We want
to continue with awareness raising sessions; introduce a new product to really
help UGF/CDN capitalise on their resources; give lessons in English, French and
ICT and also organise sessions in leadership, with the hope that this will give
staff members here the confidence to take the lead on the initiatives we
introduce (to give them longevity, way past the 12 weeks we are here) and also
to act on their own great ideas.
The people in our team may be very different: the British
are sweltering in the heat, whilst the Burkinabes complain of the cold; the
British are easily distinguishable by the strong stench of 50% deet insect
repellent and the Burkinabes are characterised by their far more relaxed
approach to life, but we are all united in our aims and that makes us a very
strong team indeed.
Please keep reading for the next 8 weeks, to keep updated
with our progress and ICS experience!
Written by Tabitha
Francais
(Pour des raisons de difficulte de connection nous publions
un peu plus tard que prevu..)
Bonjour à tous!
Malgré que les volontaires britanniques ont atterris depuis
le Mercredi 11/01/2017, notre équipe n’a finalement été complète que le Mardi
17/01/2017 à cause d’une britannique qui était malade. Ainsi à partir de ce
moment on était plus content et plus motiver de commencer le travail.
Apres 3 jours de formation au 2ie à Kamboinssin(Ouagadougou), nous sommes arrivés
à Reo aux environs de Midi le dimanche et nous étions tous excité de rencontrer
nos différentes familles d’accueil. Tabitha était très surprise de voir le
lendemain que c’est son tuteur qui était le chauffeur de l’association et moi
de voir que le mien est le coordonnateur de l’association! Nous avons ainsi été
reçu très chaleureusement dans chaque famille tout en étant très surpris d’être
entourer par autant d’enfants et d’animaux à la fois.
Le lundi matin, nous sommes
arrivés pour la première fois dans l’association d’UGF/CDN, après une brève
présentation du personnel, nous avons continué avec la visite du site. Durant
toute la visite, partout où nous sommes arrivés, nous avons été reçu avec le
sourire.
Ainsi on a vu les différentes étapes de production du beurre
de karité, le merveilleux jardin ainsi que leur élevage de porc qui fut instauré
par une des cohortes précédentes.
Le lendemain à consister principalement en la visite des différentes
autorités locales qui sont respectivement la police, la mairie et la
gendarmerie.
Nos différents objectifs à travers les différentes activités
que nous allons faire durant nos 03 mois de placement sont entre autre la
poursuite des sessions de sensibilisations déjà entrepris par la cohorte précédente,
introduire de nouveaux produits de vente,
et enfin poursuivre les différentes formations en cours d’anglais ,français
, en informatique ,en management, en decoration et bien d’autres.
Nous notons jusqu'à présent certains paradoxes: pendant que
les Britanniques se plaignent de chaleur, les Burkinabès eux se plaignent de
trop de fraicheur (lol), ce qui montre à quel point les gens sont différents !
Ecrit par Mariama
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