It is time to give some information about what is happening with ABF.
ABF was officially registered in Burkina Faso in March 2017. Thanks to several donors we were able to set up an atelier/workshop in Bobo Dioulasso which is producing the washable protection kits for menstruation. Today 5 full time employees are working at the atelier. All this would not have been possible without the work and support of the American association Days for Girls.
Missing on the picture is Ousmane who has joined the team in November.
The first activity of ABF is to make presentations so that women and girls understand their body a little bit better. Eugénie and Odile (from ASAP), organized meetings with women associations in rural areas and in the city. Marion (a French trainee) helped us a lot in these meetings and the organization of ABF.
Some results for the past 9 months:
- Produced kits: 3.000
- Distributed kits: 2.000
- Number of presentations given in rural villages: 11
- Number of presentations given in the city: 20
- Number of presentations given at secondary schools: 3
Challenges ahead:
The production of the kits is well under control. The major challenge is to make the presentations and to get the “kit” on the market.
We are looking for women who can make the presentations with an emphasis on the secondary schools. We will also look at a way to promote the kit via radio spots and newspaper articles.
There are several problems we need to tackle:
- The fact that the pads are to be washed: it is easier to throw away disposable pads even if that is not ecological, and we are not even talking about the questionable quality of the pads.
- Price: women/girls often do not have the 7.500 FCFA (11,45 euro) available. Even if the kit can last at least 3 years and its cost is the equivalence of the price of disposable protections for only one year. Thanks to generous sponsors we have been able to provide the kit at 2.500 FCFA to a limited number of women. We will be able to lower the price of the kit if the volume produced becomes bigger.
We have seen that the kit can make a big difference for girls and women. It is up to us now to convince more sponsors and to be efficient in the promotion and distribution of the kits.
Here is a a link to a video about ABF and the manufacturing of the kits: https://youtu.be/D5DI9Iv9HrY