Compost

In October 20, I organized a compost workshop.

The participants are 10 women from YANTA. (They were chosen at random although I would have preferred those who were really interested in compost... too bad !)

I had been thinking to do it since the beginning of my work here so I was pretty happy. At the same time, it was the first time to organize a workshop by myself so I was very anxious about it…

To get to know each other and prepare some before the workshop, I asked them to come to a meeting on Oct 18 through the Union’s president.

Only 5 of them came… (the info didn’t pass to all…)

Besides that, although I expected it, there were no one who could speak French… Fortunately another member of the Union was there so I asked her to translate French to Dioula.

On the day, the workshop was supposed to start at 8 a.m.

There were again only 5 who came on 18… although I asked them to come “at 7”…

While waiting others, I found out that some of the participants even don’t know that they were concerned for this workshop…

Yes, this is my fault. The Union is so big that I let the president choose 10 women and pass info to them all the time, which didn’t work apparently…

Anyway all came by 10 and we finally started : 2 hours later.

Once the workshop started, they were so serious and we had good discussion about community sanitation.

Although I prepared the workshop resume in French, none of the 10 women could really understand it…I realized then the importance of mastering dioula to work here.

Therefore I used photos, images and drawings for them to understand well.

Anyway, the workshop went ok or even well, I think because the women were really cooperative to prepare the compost base soil.

But, the real practice starts after this workshop at home.

They must have started putting cooking waste or gardening waste in the bag everyday. After 1 week, 1 month and 2 months, we will hold meetings then share their experience, difficulties etc.

Honestly I am not sure if this idea will work…

Here in Burkina, we don’t have yet the idea of “separating garbage by type”…

But we should try before giving up the idea, shouldn’t we ?

Don’t miss the next step!