USADF Signs First Nine Grants To Support Grassroots Groups in Burkina Faso:

WASHINGTON - July 29, 2009 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 29, 2009 – The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) signed its first nine grants to benefit grassroots groups in Burkina Faso.  The grants will benefit Association des Femmes Tisseuses de Pnssomtenga (AFEPO), Association Ragussi, Etre Commes les Autres (ECLA), Federation des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon du Departement de Tenado, Union des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon de Batondo (Batondo), Union des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon de Bavila (Bavila), Union des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon de Koukouldi (Koukouldi), Union des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon de Tenado (Tenado), and Wili Ka Taama Agricultural Products Processing and Marketing (Wili Ka Taama).

After signing the grants, USADF President Lloyd Pierson stated “USADF is proud to note the progress it has made in Burkina Faso since signing a bilateral agreement with the Government of Burkina Faso in September 2008.  These grants are designed to create jobs, lift people out of poverty, and sustain a higher quality of life for people.”

AFEPO is a community association of twenty-five low income women based in Ponssomtenga.  The women weave an assortment of market products such as sheets, clothes, and table cloths but are constrained by lack of working capital to purchase raw materials.  The eighteen month grant will help increase productivity, and thus raise the women’s incomes, by financing a workspace, equipment and raw materials, training, and technical assistance.

Association Ragussi is a women’s community association located in Tanghin-Dassouri, Kadiogo Province that processes Shea butter in traditional and organic ways for export.  The organization consists of 50 paid members, 22 Shea butter processing employees, and 22 village associations which represent 1,187 Shea nut collectors.  The Shea butter industry cannot currently meet high market demand for Shea butter and Ragussi would like position itself as an industry leader and improve the lives of the women in the Tanghin-Dassouri region.  The five year grant will fund equipment, training, improved organic techniques, and technical assistance.

ECLA has developed a cashew nut processing plant which employs 182 rural women processors in Toussiana, Upper Basin Region.  With favorable environmental conditions to grow cashews, residents turn to processing to earn a living.  However, ECLA faces lack of equipment and working capital to meet demand for its product.  The three year grant will be used to purchase equipment, fund training for the women, and cover administrative costs.

Located in Tenado District, Federation des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon du Departement de Tenado  is a union of onion farmer organizations whose aim is to better organize its members to work for poverty alleviation among rural people.  Through better onion production and commercialization, the union is working with members to increase their income levels.  Nearly 10,800 are members and active work on the farms.  The twenty-four month grant will provide for working capital, construction of a warehouse, purchase of a motorcycle, and training.

Batondo, Bavila  Koukouldi, and Tenado  are the four union members of the Federation des Producteurs et Productrices d’Oignon du Departement Tenado which represent 16,000 farmers.  They seek to build the technical and managerial capacities of member associations to enable members to produce better quality onions and access better paying markets.  The four separate grants, obligated over a period of twenty-four months, are designed to fund well walls and a small store, establish working capital, procure equipment for farmland improvements, finance training in management and marketing, support technical assistance to develop a business plan, and organize female traders and onion producers in the union.

Wili Ka Taama is a community association located in Orodara that produces and sells dried mangos.  The association seeks to offer employment and financial stability to orphans, widows, abandoned wives, and other impoverished residents.  Extending its services, the association is looking to produce four new products to generate higher incomes and spur sustainable development for the larger community.  The twenty four month grant will be used to create working capital for production supplies, procure equipment, finance training, establish a business plan, and cover administration costs.

USADF’s began programming in Burkina Faso in 2008.  The country’s portfolio will focus mainly on the agricultural sector, introducing avenues of market access to grantees.  As with other country portfolios, there is much emphasis on marginalized populations, particularly women.

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations.  Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.  For more information on USADF, its programs and application guidelines, visit www.usadf.gov.

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