This the second project that we have run in conjunction with ADRA UK and was a major commitment for CAP. Funding was for 3 years (2013-2015 inclusive) at £5000 pa.

Burkina Faso, in West Africa, is one of the world’s poorest countries. Life is governed by poverty, ignorance and unquestioning acceptance of traditional beliefs as transmitted by traditional Chiefs. In the predominantly Mossi areas women are expelled from their villages following witchcraft accusations. These women are blamed following some inexplicable death in the village (a surge of meningitis, a fatal accident) and even after a medical report has established the true cause, the population continues to see witch-craft.

The women are expelled, stoned and beaten with clubs. Their houses and belongings are burnt and their husbands are forbidden to defend them. These illiterate women do not know their rights and find themselves alone and removed from their families and villages. In too many cases, women opt to commit suicide.

This project deals with the future of 75 such women expelled from their village and forbidden to see their families, living in Bousse in the Province of Kourweogo, in the Central Plateau region of Burkina Faso. Concrete actions will be taken so that the women can be socially re-integrated and participate in the economic life of their new community.

The project expressly targets their quality of life, providing training and enabling them to carry out income generation activities (market gardening, poultry rearing and preparation of soya "soumbala" (African mustard)). The project also targets advocacy to prevent the exclusion of other women, in particular from neighbouring villages.

A detailed breakdown of the project and costs can be found here.