Association Graine de Baobab (Baobab Seed Association)

 

The goals of the association are to aid sustainable development projects in Burkina Faso in partnership with local representatives. These projects focus more particularly on access to water, food, health and education. The association also encourages educative, social and cultural exchanges between Switzerland and Burkina Faso. It is a non-profit-making association relying on volunteer members.

 

Current and past projects of Graine de Baobab

 

www.grainedebaobab.org

 

Rain water reservoir

December 2003 - October 2004

A water reservoir which forms a lake more than 3km long was inaugurated in July 2004. It allows local people to water animals and to create vegetable gardens in the dry season.

 

School: New building with 3 classrooms and renovation of the 3 old classrooms

October 2004 – June 2005

Fitting out with necessary furniture. Currently 6 classrooms for 400 pupils.

 

Solar panels on the school

January 2006

They allow pupils to come to school to do their homework in the evening and for their parents to join adult classes to learn to read and write.

 

Library for the school

July 2005 – March 2006

Fitting out the room with furniture and books

 

Soap factory

October 2005 – July 2006

Erection of a building, fitting out with furniture and basic material, installation of solar panels for light, training of local women and purchase of raw materials for the first soaps.

Shea butter soaps are excellent for the skin, without colorant, preservatives. The profit from the sales is a source of income for the women of Ouâda and also to support future projects.

 

Drilling a well at the school

July 2006

Provide drinkable water for 400 pupils of the school and the surrounding population.

Gardening activities will be established with the pupils, as well as tree plantations. Hygiene and environment education will be given.

 

Plantations

August 2006

To fight soil erosion due to desertification, the population has planted 400 palm oil trees, 4 hectares of panicum (grass) and 200 mango trees.

 

Future actions of “Graine de Baobab”

Develop projects (market gardening, agriculture) to guarantee food self-sufficiency and incomes; halt rural exodus.

Allow adults who wish to learn to read and write through school courses.

Give the population the means to train themselves through the projects that are put in place.

 

Burkina Faso and the village of Ouâda

 

It is a West African country amongst the poorest worldwide. 81% of the population live on less than 2$ per day, 87.2% of the population cannot read and write, 35% of children go to school, 1% of children go to secondary school, huge delay in female school attendance, 34% of children underweight,4 doctors per 100’000 inhabitants.

It is in the village of Ouâda, located in the centre-east of the Burkina Faso that Graine de Baobab develops its projects. Made up by farmers and stock breeders, the village has 5,000 inhabitants.

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