In West Africa, some of the poorest areas in the world are benefiting from Trickle Up’s microenterprise development program. Burkina Faso and Mali are among the twelve lowest-ranking nations of the 179 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index. As a result, these countries have lower life expectancy rates, lower adult literacy and school enrollment rates and a standard of living much lower than that of the rest of the world.

In addition to offering seed capital grants and training, Trickle Up has developed innovative savings and credit opportunities for participants. Such efforts support and complement those of our local partner agencies in the region.

Trickle Up’s West Africa field office is based in Sévaré, a town located in the Niger River’s inner delta, in the center of Mali and near the Burkina Faso border. This strategic location enables our dedicated field staff to work closely with our partners in Mali and Burkina Faso, ensuring the growing success of our programs in the region.

Partner Highlights

In 2008, the West Africa field staff selected and trained six new partners in Burkina Faso, in order to expand our program in that country. The new partners in turn selected and trained 300 microentrepreneurs who received their first grant in July 2008.

One of the partners in Burkina Faso is a women’s development organization called Dewral Burkina, which targets the Peul ethnic group. Dewral Burkina focuses on women’s literacy and support for cultural activities and artistic production to simultaneously improve livelihoods and preserve Peul culture.

One of Trickle Up’s oldest partners in Mali is SEAD (Sahel Etude et Action pour le Développement). SEAD has been implementing the Trickle Up program in Northern Mali since 2004, reaching a total of 1,800 participants since the beginning. They are based in Gao and cover an expansive geographic area from Timbuktu to Ansongo, travelling far into the Sahara desert to reach isolated populations such as the nomadic Touareg, and working with traditionally oppressed minorities such as the Bellas.

Watch the video of our work in Mali!

Results

Reports from Fiscal Year 2008 show that in West Africa:

• - Nearly 15,000 businesses have been launched or expanded since the opening of the field office in 2004.
• - 89 percent of Trickle Up participants are women.
• - 16 percent of Trickle Up participants are people with disabilities.
• - 38 percent of Trickle Up participants are under 35 years old.
• - In 2008, Trickle Up helped build the capacity of 18 local partner agencies.

Our Partner Agencies in West Africa

Burkina Faso
Association d’Aide aux Enfants de Famille Démunies (ADEFAD)
Association Monde Rural (AMR)
Alliance Internationale pour le Développement et la Solidarité Afrique and Association Solidarité
Association Solidarité et Entraide Mutuelle au Sahel (SEMUS)
Dewral Burkina
Jaynal Baale

Mali
Association pour l’Appui au Developpement Integre (AADI)
Agence Evangelique de Developpement (AEDM)
Association des Groupements Villageois Feminins (AGVF)
Equipe de Recherche et d’Appui Pour le Developpement (ERAD)
ESPOIR
Group d’Animation Action au Sahel (GAAS-MALI)
Groupe d’Appui au Developpement (GADEV)
Groupe de recherche d'études de formation femme action (GREFFA)
Organisation Pour un Developpement Integre au Sahel (ODI-SAHEL)
Organisation Pour la Gestion de l’Environnement au Sahel (OGS)
Sahel étude action pour le developpement (SEAD)
Solidarite Pour l’Autopromotion a la Base (SABA)