Association ton (atn)
Association Ton, mangoes and cashews, Burkina Faso (producer)
Burkina Faso boasts a large mango orchard, covering the Hauts Bassins and Cascades regions. The orchard is also home to Association Ton (ATN), producers of 160,000 tonnes of mangos annually. Unfortunately almost 60% of this harvest is lost because of a lack of resources in conserving the fruit.
Although ATN has increased the number of drying ovens from one to 15, they are still fighting to preserve the full harvest before it is wasted on the land. Since receiving a loan from Shared Interest in 2013 – to purchase a truck and renovate their mango processing unit – ATN has seen great improvements in sales volume and value.
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Fatimata Ganame, ATN worker, said:
“I have been working here for the past 15 years. My working conditions have tremendously improved since the intervention of Shared Interest. We are now paid on a regular and timely basis.”
Empowering women in West Africa
Our Programme Manager, Kodzo has worked closely with the co-operative and believes that the organisation has had the biggest impact on the Niagoloko community, where employment has been scarce. During a recent mango harvest, an additional 250 jobs were created for seasonal workers, and he saw hundreds of women gather at the premises for the recruitment day.
In 2015, ATN was able to enrol 45 vulnerable children in school, pay for their tuition, and provide them with the necessary learning materials including books. In addition, the co-operative used the Fairtrade Premium to fund first aid training courses for mothers. ATN has even opened a childcare centre on the premises to care for the children of female workers during working hours.
Issaka Sommande, General Manager at ATN, said: “This was a very great move aimed at helping vulnerable women gain employment and secure an income for their livelihood and that of their households.”
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