BLOOM

Although women account for 52% of Burkina Faso’s population, they own only 8.8% of formal businesses. They are more active in the informal sector, where they account for over 60% of production activities. Their low level of education and training, household management, problems balancing work and family life, and lack of understanding within households can all be constraints on efforts to achieve sustainable economic empowerment for women in the country. In addition, employers, especially those in the private sector, are reluctant to employ women, mainly because of their low level of education and training, and the social roles they are expected to play, such as housework and childcare and education. 

Add to this the extreme poverty of the population (over 40% of the population live below the poverty line, which is set at less than 235€ per adult/per year), the effects of climate change in a country where the economy is based mainly on agriculture and livestock farming, which employ almost 86% of the population, and the humanitarian crisis currently raging in the country. This reinforces the finding that women are marginalised (the most affected in crisis situations), particularly in rural areas, and also reveals a strong demand for access to support schemes to help them find decent work or develop income-generating activities (IGAs) with greater added value for themselves and their communities. 

The aim of this project is to support women in highly vulnerable situations in the craft sector, to help them escape from insecurity. This craft training scheme makes sense because it encompasses, in a holistic way, all aspects of women’s lives. It’s not just about vocational training, it’s also about motivating women to persevere, to ensure that the training has a lasting effect on their way of life.

What makes this programme so effective is the concept of bootcamps that complement the training courses ! The bootcamps help develop personal and professional skills, and instil a strong sense of passion and self-confidence in the workplace.

In practical terms, the programme offers :

#1 Technical and professional training adapted to the field of activity.

#2 Facilitating integration for the women who follow it.

#3 Encouragement to obtain financing.

The main rules for success : building trust, involving people and understanding the need. You have to create a relationship of trust. They won’t necessarily assimilate things easily; it’s the consideration of their projects that gets the ball rolling. Make them understand that they have value and that they can contribute to the value of the community !