|
I saw the little widow dancing for joy in front of her new cow !
A few years ago the Fulani semi-nomads in the Hamdalaye area of Ouagadougou were threatened with eviction. They got together in an organisation and managed to buy 50 hectares of land at Yagma, about 10km to the north of the city. Visiting the site today you will see new houses, cattle sheds, two wells and a water tower...
A few days ago I went to see the new Fulani settlement at Yagma with a visiting friend. We came to witness a little scene out of the ordinary : a Fulani peasant woman dancing around in front of her cow. We asked our host to tell us more about her.
«The woman is a widow, completely destitute, without children and relatives. Thanks to the generosity of some of our SEDELAN supporters, it was possible to buy(*) a heifer, a young Goudali cow for her. This was done to help the woman secure a livelihood.
During our visit I learnt that the cow means indeed much more to her than just the prospect of earning a little money by selling milk. The animal has become attached to her, they have become such good friends that the cow is following her owner everywhere ! To the widow it is indeed a dear companion. And in a few months the heifer will calve. So now there is the hope, not only of getting milk, but also of an enlarged family! She will see her« protégée » bring home an additional income. »
* We initially « offered » her the heifer, but the widow has undertaken to pay back half of the amount, starting when the calf is there and she will be able to sell some milk. Koudougou, January 23rd 2010
Maurice Oudet
Director, SEDELAN |
