In Burkina Faso - Chantal Bernatchez

International Cooperation: Waking up to commitment!
By Chantal Bernatchez

It was the night of the 18th of April 2001 when Africa entered my life. I was sound asleep when a little voice sent me to my computer to check the list of internships available at my school. I saw Flash Beauty’s internship program on marketing fair trade shea butter-based cosmetics from Burkina Faso under the brand name Kariderm. I jumped at the chance without really thinking about it—the deadline was the next morning. So I applied... and was selected for this wonderful solidarity project. So much has changed in my life since that day. I fell in love with Burkina Faso and its warm and courageous people.

I had just one month for all the pre-departure preparations: vaccinations, visa application, packing, doing research on shea butter and so on. My first technical challenge was to elaborate, with my supervisor, a filtration system to solve the problem of impurities in the shea butter produced at the Songtaaba women’s cooperative. It then occurred to me that with a little money it would be easier to improve the working conditions of these women. So I organized a fund-raising activity (bake sale and sale of KARIDERM cosmetics) in Grande-Vallée, Gaspésie, which is where I’m originally from. In a single day I raised $1,000 for the women of Songtaaba (“mutual assistance” in the Mooré language). I was truly touched by the generosity and support of the folks in my village and it was with great pride that I turned over these funds in person to the women of Songtaaba. I well understood their amazement when they told me that this sum was the equivalent of 500,000 CFA francs!

My mission in Ouagadougou was very important to the women there. While I had to tough it out for a challenging but limited period of time, for them this was about their entire lives. They needed technical assistance to be able to work and support their families. Together, we identified the most urgent needs and improved their shea butter production facilities with the money raised.

Despite the staggering poverty, especially in rural areas, people perform miracles to better their lives. Seeing them go makes me question our rather individualistic way of life. Sometimes I wonder if they aren’t the ones who are truly alive while we just survive in our rapid and demanding society.

Life in Africa is so special, an adventure. You bond with people rapidly. You become part of a big family. I had a deeply fulfilling experience and will remain close to the women of Songtaaba forever. The expressions on their faces, their smiles and laughter have become part of my universe. Africa has a permanent place in my heart. I even found the two great joys of my life there: my husband and my five-year old son Fadel. I now have dual citizenship and you may call me Mrs. Rasmané Ouédraogo!!

Thanks to the Uniterra voluntary cooperation program, I engaged in a 3rd posting (2005-2006) at the same women’s organization (ASY). My mandate: contribute to ASY’s further development via the organic shea butter subsector. I believe it’s important to favour exchanges between countries at every level. To that end, ideas are not enough, action is required. In my view international cooperation is an effective means for weaving lasting ties between different cultures. It’s my way of opening up to the riches of humanity’s global heritage and drawing inspiration from it...

Chantal Bernatchez in the medias

Article in the "l’Évènement". Burkinan monthly (French)