Burkina Faso

Association WOUOL

Tropical Wholefoods have been purchasing dried mangoes from WOUOL for more than ten years.
A development association of 2000 rural members located in the West of Burkina Faso in Beregadougou, WOUOL means in Turka, the local language, "mutual assistance" and "solidarity".
Many of WOUOL's farmer members cultivate mango trees. Each year, WOUOL purchases thousands of tonnes of fresh fruits from the farmers and dry them in their drying stations. The vast majority of people working in the drying stations are women, and 70% of WOUOL's members are women.
Other than mangoes, WOUOL farmers also produce large quantities of cashew nuts which WOUOL shell, dry and grade for export as well. Again it is mainly women who benefit from this paid employment.
WOUOL are committed to diversifying what they produce. In addition to mango, their farmer members cultivate: Maize, Fonio, Cassava, Pineapple and Jatropha, as well as other crops. Women members are also experimenting with making little caramel bars with cashew and sugar for local sale. WOUOL also make cashew butter for local sale.
Mango and cashews brings three fold benefit to the members of WOUOL. The fresh fruit farmers and the women doing the processing gain. Then in addition, there is the Fairtrade social premium too which benefits the whole community.
The social premium is a requirement of Fairtrade and is paid over and above the Fairtrade price for the product. Members vote on its usage at the annual assembly. Over the years, WOUOL has spent the premium in the following ways: A canteen for employees, loans for bicycles for the women, loans for gas cookers at home for the women. WOUOL also built a cereal bank with funds from the premium. WOUOL have also installed 2 extra bore holes in the villages and have contributed funds to the health centre. The premium has also been used to pay for teachers and materials in adult literacy classes. These are open to everyone and are free and run every day from January to March. Students can also learn French there.

Future challenges...
Comic Relief have made a 3 year grant to enable the mango drying cooperatives to install biogas composters at their mango drying plants. By combining mango peels and stones with human and animal waste in biogas composters, the cooperatives will be able to generate biogas which can be used to heat the ovens that dry the mango. This will reduce the cost of processing the mangoes significantly whilst still generating excellent compost for the fields.

Mademoiselle Hetie Fatimata Roseline has worked at the cashew plant for 2 years. "It's great because it is year round work even though the harvest is March to May, the cashews can be stored for 12 months. Before I sold furniture but I earn more here so it is good."

Madame Alimata, a veteran of mango drying has this to say about the premium: "The premium brings more to the women and to the producers, for the whole chain, so we are very happy with it. Send goodwill to those over there (in UK) and sincere thanks to all of them from our families."

Mademoiselle Sanuisso Asetou is 23 years old and has worked at WOUOL since 2003. In the off season when there is no mango work, she does petty trading making little cakes and selling them in the market. But she says: "It is much better paid at WOUOL because it's assured income. I would like to always work here. My two sisters also work here."