In Burkina Faso - Jules Zanre

The Diaspora in action
By Audrey Patry-Moncion

In December 2005, Jules Zanre began working as volunteer cooperant for Uniterra. He’s responsible for monitoring and evaluation with RALIS-Bobo, (the Network of Associations Fighting AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections), which is located in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second largest city.

The goal of this monitoring and evaluation is to ensure greater visibility for the activities carried out on the ground by the associations fighting AIDS. Mr. Zanre’s principal tasks are to implement a new monitoring/evaluation system and to train other persons responsible for this activity. In particular, he is developing a list of common indicators to enable cross comparisons between the interventions of different associations.

Being of Burkinan descent, Jules is not a typical Canadian cooperant. Laughingly, he exclaims: “I have to constantly explain again and again that I am a Canadian cooperant!”  Partners react with surprise when they see him, as they expect to meet a rather more fair-skinned volunteer. However, this doesn’t faze Jules “because as soon as they ‘get it’ they’re twice as happy.”

Being Burkinan also brings considerable advantages. “I have a much better understanding of the context and people are quicker to accept me,”  he explains.

And some local customs grant him other undisputed advantages. A case in point: “joking relationships.” This practice allows people of certain families to insult each other when they meet. It’s not uncommon upon learning someone’s name to call that person one’s “slave” thereafter.

Of course these are just jokes for breaking the ice. However, our intrepid cooperant knew how to make good use of this tradition. He succeeded in having the Governor of the region write the preface to his monitoring/evaluation manual. As Jules was his “master” the Governor was obliged to obey his “commands.”

Why is he a cooperant? To be “a citizen of the world.” Jules believes in this profoundly. “Today, we transfer our expertise so that one day people will no longer need assistance. They will manage perfectly well on their own. Our support is to be of short duration.”

Photos: