This project has two specific objectives, as outlined by Zoenabou Savadogo, Tigoung Nonma's co-president: 1. Provide Tigoung Nonma's members and their families with food packages (rice, cornflour, oil and spaghetti.) 2. Provide protection kits to members of Tigoung Nonma and their families (soap, face masks, alcohol based gels). Due to civil insecurity and the current pandemic in Ouagadougou, the home of Tigoung Nonma, TN has had to stop all income generating activities.
The turgid economy in Burkina Faso means it has always been extremely difficult for Tigoung Nonma's disabled community to generate profit from it's entrepreneurial activities. In Zoenabou's words, people living with disabilities in Burkina Faso are among the most vulnerable, marginalised and often live in extreme poverty. Now the coronavirus epidemic has made matters worse by reducing the little demand there was for crafts or catering. Now, Tigoung Nonma's members are even more vulnerable.
TN will purchase and distribute food packages and protection kits (alcohol based hand gels, face masks, soap) to its members, paying close attention to the sanitary measures issued by the department of health. Discrimination within families is piercing. The disabled member is often excluded if they bring nothing to the table. Tigoung Nonma's active members are mostly women and are responsible for majority of family care. Seeing their children hungry is unbearable. This project will change that.
The sense of relief TN's members will feel cannot be fully understood. Members co-ordinating the distrubution of these packages will feel they have some power to provide food and protection at this time. Recent events, this crisis and this collaboration between Tigoung Nonma, Global Giving, LAFI and Friends of Burkina Faso has made us more determined than ever to make great change over the long-term.
