The objective: Empowerment of women and food security.
The object: Agricultural cooperative for a women group.
Location: Atlantique municipality and Azohoué Cada village.
Duration:2020
Local partners: Mayor of the municipality Mr Robert Vitonou TOLEGBON, Head of GHA Mieke Van Doren and his collaborator Arielle Gnimassou, Mrs Pauline Tahou (President of the Maoulomé group)
Financial partners: GHA, AVIVA.
Description of activities: Creation of a market gardening cooperative.
Project status: COMPLETED
Tori-Bossito is one of the 77 municipalities in Benin. Azohouè-Cada is one of the 34 villages of Tori Bossito. The village consists of 8 districts: Azongo, Houngo, Kétessa Agladji, Zoungbomè, Zounvessehou, Azouhouè-Cada North, Azouhouè-Cada South, Azouhouè-Cada Center and Gbédakonou.
A group of dynamic women approached us so that we could help them in their project of a female agricultural cooperative. Already grouped together to work together, they are organized but lack the means. They grow vegetables according to the rainy season, plant and process cassava. Renting the fields is very complicated because they do not make a contract and sometimes the owner expels them when the harvest is not done. Manual labor is tedious, they have to hire machinery and lack the small equipment essential for processing cassava. They want to be able to generate a profit and send their children to school.
November 2020:
First GHA visit to the women group to understand what is the group demand
March 2020:
In March 2020, the 2 local managers of GHA are leaving to visit the Maoulomé women’s group.
They are received by the Mayor and present our association and explain the help that GHA could provide to the women of the village.
All our projects must have the approval of local authorities before they begin.
The Mayor is very happy with this opportunity and gives us his support.
May 2020:
The machines arrive as well as the small equipment to make the gari (cassava flour).
A mill and a press are available to the group.
The builder came to give a demonstration and the women in the group are learning how to use the machines.
The Mayor offers a room to store this new material.
We will continue to monitor and support this group in order to improve working conditions and profits.
