PLATFORM IN THE FIELD

How to help a village
acquire a Platform

’    SENEGAL ...  

• Background

• The current situation

• Future prospects

• Contact details

57% of the population of Senegal lives in rural rural areas where the main source of energy available to households is wood, coal and human physical power. Most survival activities such as the cooking of meals and agro-transformation are the work of women and young girls who often spend up to 5 hours per day on them. This work requires considerable physical effort and time. Indeed, women in rural areas work up to 35% more than men, with no financial recompense....

Background

Since the 1980s, many projects have been implemented, by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Development Bank (ADB) among others, which aimed to equip local communities in the zone of Kedougou in Senegal with mills. However, these initiatives met with several problems relating to the appropriation of the equipment and its correct maintenance.

The concept of the Multifunctional Platform attracted the general interest of the UNDP, as it has proved to be not only a powerful instrument for alleviating poverty but also an approach which could benefit from the past experience and lessons learnt from previous UNDP and ADB projects, whilst at the same time adding new dimensions such as its multifunctional aspect and the Feasibility study tool.

In May 2002, the Senegalese government launched, with the support of the UNDP and UNIDO, the pilot phase of the Multifunctional Platform for Poverty Alleviation Project.

The village of Dindéfello, in the zone of Kédougou, was chosen, due to the high level of mobilisation of the village women and their experience in infrastructure management, to receive the first platform.

Information...
In order to raise the profile of the Platform concept and approach at the level of the villages and authorities concerned, the Pilot Multifunctional Platform Project has been carrying out an information campaign. To this day, it has involved :

• Organising 35 information sessions, which have informed a total of 65 villages about the platform process, its advantages and constraints.

• Meeting regional, departmental and local authorities, who have showed their interest for the Platform project and actively participate by raising awareness among their populations.

• Meeting the 6 NGOs operating in the project zone, 2 of which have benefited from training in conducting Participatory feasibility studies. opérant dans la zone.

Installation...
Out of the 28 villages who were informed and requested a platform, 5 decided, on the basis of the results of the feasibility study, to purchase a platform. These are the villages of : Missirah Dantila, Sourouyel, Gouloumbou, Saroudia et Bantantinti.

Training...
The process for purchasing a platform has also involved the training of 3 mechanics, 22 millers, of which 8 women and 15 men, 9 rural artisans and 9 metalworkers, all chosen by the villages to carry out the installation, maintenance and repair of equipment.

Monitoring...
The 5 villages equipped with a platform have had technical monitoring at least twice and monthly management monitoring.

Results...
Although the operation period of the platforms has been relatively short, women beneficiaries have noted considerable gains in time and energy which have begun to lighten their workload and increase their income.
These gains in time have also meant that certain women have enrolled their daughters in school : indeed, in the village of Batantinty, the number of pupils enrolled in primary school has increased from 18 in 2001/2002 to 52 in 2002/2003. Among the 34 newly enrolled pupils were 16 girls.

Future prospects

The installation of 40 new platforms is expected in 2003, of which 6 will be equipped with water and/or electricity networks.

In order to meet this new demand in terms of technical skills, artisans and local suppliers will be identified and trained in manufacturing, maintaining and repairing equipment).

Contact Details

For further information, please contact:

Mme. Anne Correa, National Project Coordinator
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation Senegal (UNIDO)

E-mail : senegal@ptfm.net