fostering innovation

Bilingual School for the Fulani

aaron — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 01:48:28 +0000

Bilingual School for the Fulani aaron Wed, 06/06/2018 - 21:48

UPDATE: FEBRUARY, 2021:

SEDELAN (Service d’Edition en Langues Nationales) and ABADAS (Association Bretonne d'Aide Directe à l'Afrique Subsaharienne), located in Region Est was once again selected to receive funding from FBF to support the continued construction of the Fulfulde/French bilingual primary school in Singoghin (Bittou), specifically the construction of the second building.

Article on this project from the Burkina Connection Newsletter, May 2021:

Timely Arrival "Amis Ecole Singoghin" by Tom Vollrath RPCV 67-70

The life styles and cultural mores of pastoralists in Burkina Faso have undergone dramatic change within the last half century due to climate change, dramatic growth in the population, and increased
competition for land use. According to Madame Diaby, Director of the min-dairy in Bittou, Fulani herdsmen in Burkina Faso began moving their families to Nouhao, a pastoral zone in the southeast, established by the government in 1986. Over time, many of the migrating Fulani families adopted a quasi-sedentary way of life and settled in a commune within the Nouhao zone, known as Singoghin.

As was previously reported in the Burkina Connection (2018, No. 1), the women of Singoghin approached Father Maurice Oudet expressing a desire to have a primary school built for their children in the commune. Father Maurice and his organization SEDELAN developed a relationship with ABADAS, a philanthropic organization in France. Together they marshalled resources and joined hands with the Burkinabe government with the result being that not only has a primary school been built but education has become highly valued among the residents of Singoghin.

Extraordinary challenges confront Burkina Faso and its people these days. While the threats of jihadist-induced terrorism continue, the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the disruption. To stem the spread of the disease, the government closed schools throughout the country and imposed travel restrictions for many months. Given these troubled times, it is encouraging to know that there are determined efforts to improve the quality of life in Burkina while strengthening the overall well-being in society. Below is a noteworthy example of recent progress being achieved to promote education among the Fulani within the Singoghin commune.

Field trip to Singoghin/Bittou

In February 2021, Dr. Issa Diallo took a field trip to the Boulgou province to evaluate the status and monitor progress being achieved at the bilingual school in Singoghin. The first stop on his journey was to meet with regional officials in Bittou. Information was exchanged about continued government financial support for the school and its personnel--a topic of considerable importance given budgetary constraints due to unforeseen government costs protecting the local population against the dual threats of terrorism and the pandemic. Good news followed, shortly upon his return to Ouaga. The government granted authority enabling a third teacher to be assigned to the school. Subsequently, an instructor, fluent in Fulfulde and French, was tendered an offer to be hired and he accepted! Following Diallo’s visit to Bittou, he traveled to the adjacent Fulani commune in Singoghin to dialogue with students and teachers at the bilingual school. He found the students to be “very motivated to learn” as was demonstrated when the children assembled under trees and resumed their studies after returning to school following lunch. Their response enabled Diallo and the teachers to continue with their discussions. A particularly novel idea that emerged from this conversation was the possibility of augmenting the core student curriculum to incorporate practical lessons focused on farming and animal husbandry.

Construction of school building completed

In March, the contractor completed construction of the second building that he had promised to complete. Having two buildings will enable the school to accommodate a stream of students with 5 classes in the years to come.

Planning conference in Ouagadougou

On April 7th, a working conference was held in Ouagadougou at which interested parties in the Singoghin school attended, including 13 in-person and 4 virtually. The conference opened with the announcement of the formation of the new association, called DELAN (Développement, Education, Lait, Langues Nationales). DELAN was created to replace SEDELAN, the NGO that has played a pivotal role leading the Singoghin/Bittou project, thanks to the leadership of Father Maurice Oudet who is retiring. ABADAS (SEDELAN’s partner organization) and DELAN will now assume joint leadership of the Singoghin/Bittou educational initiative. Dr. Issa Diallo, the President of DELAN, is in the throes of seeking NGO status for DELAN, a lengthy process that typically takes about a year to obtain.

The conference in Ouaga opened with presentations focused on educational modules developed by MENAPLN (Ministère de l’Education Nationale, de l’Alphabétisation et de la Promotion des Langues Nationales) that the ministry shall be sharing with the Singoghin/Bittou project. These modules, when connected to the intranet via an inexpensive Raspberry Pi server, can function as teaching devices for both the students attending the primary school and the adult dairy farmers. The plan is to launch a pilot project for the “digital school” in July. DARGATECH, the company that installed the lighting system at the primary school, will be mounting the server and providing user training. It is envisioned that one of the teachers at the primary school and a member of the APE (Association des Parents d’Elèves) will be trained to oversee and supervise use of the system. If all goes well, the “digital school” will become operational by the beginning of the next school year. A wide range of issues were discussed at the meeting, including the development of practical lessons focused on farming and raising animals. Beginning in October, each class will be responsible to care for and provide

hay to feed to a Goudali cow. Note: recent research in Senegal and Niger has found that Goudali cows generate considerably more milk, up to 12 liters per day, and are better acclimated to the savanna region than their Azawak counterparts (which are typically found in Burkina). For this reason, the herdsmen in Singoghin have been encouraged by SEDELAN to replace their Azawak cattle with Goudali ones.

Future plans also call for the primary school to establish a garden on school grounds, contingent upon the availability of water. Students will be taught how to cultivate and farm employing “agroecological” technology. No chemical fertilizer is to be deployed in the garden; rather, animal waste will be used to enrich the soil. This, in turn, promises to improve both the quality and quantity food produced. The vegetables harvested will be used to improve the nutritional value of noon-day meals served at the school canteen. Surplus produce will be distributed to student families. The meeting, held in the Ouagadougou cathedral, ended with the unanimous consensus to christen the Singoghin/Bittou project as “Amis Ecole Singoghin” (AES) and to announce the structure of its Board of Directors. Board members are to include a President; a Secretary; the school director; the pastoral zone technician; and Madam Diaby, manager of the min-dairy in Bittou.

UPDATE: JUNE 6, 2018:

Pastoralists in West Africa are not known to be particularly interested in education. For this reason, few Fulani in Burkina Faso enroll in schools or attend formal classroom instruction. So, it came as quite a surprise when a group of women, men, and tribal leaders from Signoghin (near Bittou) approached the Inspector of Primary Education to build a school for their young children. The Inspector was delighted to hear of their interest. He pledged that if the Fulani contingent was able to obtain the funds needed to build a primary school in their village, the government would provide it with teachers.

FBF members liked the concept of providing young Fulani children with an opportunity to attend school. They also liked the idea of students being in environment where both the local language (Fulfulde) and French would be spoken and literacy taught. FBF joined two other organizations: SEDELAN, a non-profit organization in Kaya and ABADAS, a NGO located in Arradon France). Together, they raised sufficient funds to build the school.

Construction is due to be completed in 2018.

AIVPDL - Improving Crop Yields

aaron — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 01:39:00 +0000

AIVPDL - Improving Crop Yields aaron Sun, 10/08/2017 - 21:39

fostering innovation

Project Update: September 2021. For project background, see below.

After a successful winter 2020 fundraiser, AIVPDL was selected to receive funding to support the ongoing strengthening and capacity building of vulnerable producers in order to increase agricultural production and fight against food insecurity/poverty in rural areas. In April 2021, they had already held informational meetings and sensibilisations with 611 farmers. They had identified 225 farmers - 94 men and 131 women - to be part of their next cohort. Trainings and seed/implement distributions were among the next steps to be completed. As of September 2021, this project is still in progress. See photos from their latest training below!

Project Background:

A returned Peace Corps volunteer (RPCV) and her counterpart, a former Burkinabe agricultural extension agent (who now is president of an NGO, called AIVPDL), maintained correspondence for more than 30 years.

In 2016, the two friends devised a plan to educate subsistence farmers in the Zoundwéogo Province on how to increase yields, bolster production, and become self-sufficient in food. The retired agricultural professionals belonging to AIVPDL agreed to volunteer their time and share their expertise with local farmers about ways to increase production using recommended, sustainable agricultural practices. With financial assistance from FBF, the team launched their program in 2017.

AIVPDL met with administrative authorities to legitimize this initiative. They solicited help from both the mayors in Binde, Manga, and Gogo as well as with the chiefs in 15 surrounding villages who played an instrumental role selecting the farmers to participate in the program. AIVPDL began working with 375 farmers (58% of whom are women) in early 2017 providing them with improved seed, imparting knowledge about the importance of restoring soil fertility through the use of organic fertilizers, holding training sessions at demonstration plots throughout the growing season, and periodically exchanging information with farmers in their fields about agricultural crop management techniques.

The program was successful in a year in which production fell nationwide due to drought and pest invasions. Yields on fields deploying recommended technologies were reported to be significantly greater than on fields using conventional production methods. In plots treated with organic manure, yields increased by more than 50% for corn, soybean and cowpea while rice yields were up four-fold. Yields were even higher when organic manure was used in combination with artificial fertiliser. Given the impressive results achieved in 2017, the FBF Board of Directors agreed to support an extension of the AIVPDL project involving 300 farmers in 2018.

Village Rainwater Catchment Basins

fbf — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:31:54 +0000

Village Rainwater Catchment Basins fbf Wed, 04/13/2016 - 10:31

2013, Kamsi, Sisene, fostering innovation, water

The Community Building Group, a nongovernmental organization launched an initiative called Give Water Give Life to build and refurbish village Rainwater Catchment Basins (RWCB) in 2013. Properly designed and constructed in appropriate locations, RWCBs tap into the existing water aquifer and raise the groundwater table. Basins provide villagers water every day of the year, even in the dry torrid conditions of the Sahel. They also provide opportunities to increase agricultural production, improve villagers' health, and create local employment. In 2014-16, FBF resources helped finance the construction and repair of rainwater catchment basins in the villages of Sisene and Kamsi.

Workshop for the Physically Disabled

fbf — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 14:27:15 +0000

Workshop for the Physically Disabled fbf Sun, 04/13/2014 - 10:27

2014, Ouagadougou, disabilities, fostering innovation, revenue-generating

Tigoung Nonma (TN) is a cooperative for persons suffering from physical disabilities in Ouagadougou. FBF and TN formed a partnership in 2014 in an effort to raise funds to build a workshop for TN members. The cooperative operates two primary income-generating activities: handicrafts and a catering service. Artisans with physical disabilities make and sell jewelry, baskets, textile products, ceramics and sculptures. Other members living with disabilities operate a catering service that prepares and delivers meals to clients living in or near Ouagadougou. These revenue-generating activities enable individuals belonging to the TN community to increase their independence and to participate in the socio-economic development of Burkina Faso.

Ashoka and Social Entrepreneurship

fbf — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:34:12 +0000

Ashoka and Social Entrepreneurship fbf Fri, 04/13/2012 - 10:34

2012, Ashoka, Ouagadougou, fostering innovation, revenue-generating, trees

Ashoka is a non-profit organization that promotes social entrepreneurship throughout the world. FBF formed a partnership with an Ashoka fellow from Burkina Faso in 2012. This fellow launched a nursery/forestry project designed to train youth about methods to cultivate and develop plantations of eucalyptus, jatropha, acacia, and fruit trees within the Bendatoege zone near Ouagadougou. Planting trees in the Sahel mitigates the adverse effects of climate change, enriches the ecological environment, and provides a source of income for producers who sell fruit and wood used for fuel, furniture, and home construction.

Shea-Butter Entreprises

fbf — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:36:43 +0000

Shea-Butter Entreprises fbf Tue, 04/13/2010 - 10:36

2003, 2010, Babora-Pegora, Tiogo, fostering innovation, revenue-generating

Two Burkinabe NGOs--Association ASUDEC and Association NOWON--approached FBF about collaborating with them in efforts to promote shea-butter as a source of income for women’s cooperatives in the villages of Babora-Pegora and Tiogo. FBF provided funds to ASUDEC in 2003 and to NOWAN in 2010 to purchase a hydraulic oil press in Babora-Pegora and Tiogo, respectively. The mills, in combination with ASUDEC’s and NOWON’s educational programs, provided incentives for cooperative members to collect shea nuts, process them into shea butter, and sell the butter in the market. Thanks to these shea-butter projects, women have been empowered and household incomes have increased in both villages.

Garden Cooperatives in Lake Bam

fbf — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:38:45 +0000

Garden Cooperatives in Lake Bam fbf Mon, 04/13/2009 - 10:38

2007, 2009, Darigma, Koumbango, Loulouka, food, fostering innovation, revenue-generating

FBF funds were used to purchase garden tools and irrigation equipment for women’s garden cooperatives in the villages of Loulouka and Koumbango in 2007, and Darigma in 2009. The irrigation equipment allows for increased food security and revenue for the members of the three cooperatives and their families. FBF channeled its financial support through Association APRODES (Action de Production pour le Développment Economique et Sociale), a Burkinabé non-governmental organization whose goals are consistent with FBF’s priorities, namely a focus on sustainable community development, indigenous capacity building, and economic empowerment of women.

An Integrated Farm Fostering Orphans

fbf — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:41:20 +0000

An Integrated Farm Fostering Orphans fbf Fri, 04/13/2007 - 10:41

2007, Loropeni, food, fostering innovation, orphans, revenue-generating

Omigbéfitè, loosely translated as “help our brothers,” is an organization of 30 Burkinabé adults residing in the village of Loropeni in south central Burkina Faso. Each of its members grew up as an orphan or in a single parent household. The group welcomed the arrival of many young orphans into their community in 2006-07 due to the influx of people crossing the border from war-torn Ivory Coast in the mid-2000. Omigbéfitè provided these youth with food, housing, and apprenticeships educating them about farming grains, vegetables, and livestock. In 2007, FBF defrayed material costs that enabled the group to irrigate an enlarged garden consisting of fruit trees peanuts, yams, tomatoes, eggplant, corn, peppers, melons, and cabbage. Produce was sold in the local market to raise funds to train and school orphans supported by the Omigbéfitè.