Economic development projects

Microcredit for women (began in 2003)

Results and Impact

In the 9 villages where ASAP is active, microcredit organizations have been set up to work with the women.

Summary of women who use microcredits at the end of 2010

Burkinabé women

The total value of credits has increased from € 31,963 in 2008, to € 41.688 in 2010.The number of women with microcredits has increased in that period from 1522 to 1651. Since 2003, 100% of the instalments have been paid off on time. Yearly interest rates of the loans are (now) 7%.

The money has helped the women to start new economic activities. The profits are generally used for medicines, school supplies, etc. The loans are supplied and managed through women's associations. Because of this, women come together more often and are better organized.

Challenges

The microcredit project runs very well. We want to help the women to set up an efficient, and potentially, profit making business with a small amount of women.

Burkinakarite (started in 2006)

The role of ASAP is to offer support in creating a union between the women's associations in 5 of the villages for the production and sale of shea butter.

Results and Impact

500 participating women have seen their income from shae butter sales increase from € 10 per year to at least € 50. All the women have learned to produce quality butter. The governing board of the union has been trained and organized. Unfortunately the harvest of shae nuts varies greatly from year to year, as a result of which, the quantity of shea butter also varies greatly from year to year.

The significant increase in income helps the women take better care of their families. The growing professionalism of the union is an example for other projects

Challenges

The intention is that the union eventually functions independently, without aid from ASAP. This is still some time away due to

• Gaps of knowledge and training of the governing board;
• Varying volumes of production quantities which make it hard to hold customers;
• The fact that many women are interested in the additional income but not the union itself;
• Competition with other unions in West Africa and industrial companies

We are looking for new ways to solve the problems described above.

Packing of karité butter

Bags of karité butter

Papaya project

500 trees have been spread in July 2009. Only 50% of the trees (female) will produce fruit because of the lack of selection during breeding. The first papayas are picked in April 2010. The women have come to realize the importance of variation in their diet, therefore they have requested ASAP to assist with the purchase of baobab trees (leaves are used for cooking) and pepper plants.

Due to various reasons the project is still not as successful as we expected it to be. This is partly due to the fact that animals eat the fruit on the trees. Another reason that the villagers use the papaya leaves as a medicine against malaria. In addition most papaya trees appear to be male, which caused them to have little fruit on them. Many trees have died over the course of time.

Challenges

By planting more female papaya trees, we can ensure that more fruit is available. Through this more fruit will be available to support their families, and they have the option to sell a portion of their fruit. One option is to sell fruit in the city.

It is also necessary that the women will protect the trees against animals and that they regularly water them during the dry season. It is also important that the women have a sort of secure area, close to home that can serve as a vegetable garden or orchard.