Carolinas Trip to Burkina Faso - Part II

Women empowerment

On Wednesday Linda took Richard and me to visit the cashew processing sites. I have been active in the sales of gebana BV for several years now. I know the specification of our products and production methods through documents, photos and other people’s experiences. The impact of the cashew processing did not really get through to me until I saw it with my own eyes.

The amount of labour and time it takes to produce 1 cashew nut is enormous! From now on I will eat cashew nuts one by one, and cherish each bite instead of eating several at a time.

The cashew processing factory is run by a woman, Diata. She is a fierce and colourful presence. When commenting on her bright yellow and pink robe, she laughed and hugged me. The cracking and peeling of cashews is considered a woman’s job in Burkina. It is good to see that Diata as a woman is head of the factory, whereas most leading positions are dominated by men. The child’s nursery in the factory courtyard is another example of women’s empowerment. The female employees that live close to the factory can bring their child with them to work. The children are taken care of and are fed. The women can work without being disturbed whilst their kids are still close to them. As a young female professional myself, I can only applaud these successes on empowering women in Burkina Faso.

> Carolinas trip to Burkina Faso - Part I - A missing backpack and 2 cocks

> Carolinas trip to Burkina Faso - Part III - A different perspective

> Carolinas trip to Burkina Faso - Part IV - A trip to the clinic