TIGOUNG NONMA

TIGOUNG NONMA

4 August 2014

Bonjour my lovely people! Today's post is different as a friend of mine who has embarked on an amazing journey to Burkina Faso for 3 months! (Ain't he a lucky chap!) I am pretty sure he's very proud of himself to have the privilege of being a volunteer over there and I know he will read this so..... SALMAN I AM SOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU! Keep up the good work and keep wearing SPF 50+!  

He is currently working with an organisation called Tigoung Nonma. Tigoung Nonma, (meaning ‘strength through unity’ in the local language Mooré) is a cooperative of artisans with physical disabilities that was founded in 2005 that is based in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa. In Burkina Faso, it is difficult for disabled people to find work due to the stigma surrounding disability. Tigoung Nonma (TN) aims to provide sustainable incomes for their members by providing them with an equitable trading platform. Making and selling products through TN allows the members to be empowered and to contribute to the development of the country. The project also has a much broader aim to promote disability rights through enabling people with disabilities to fulfil their economic and social potential.

TN is currently working in collaboration with the development NGO International Service, in the form of young volunteers from the UK and Burkina Faso. The cooperative is also committed to protecting the environment, with many of its artisans using natural materials and a wide variety of recycled products such as tyres, plastic bags, tins, cloth and paper, in an attempt to reduce some of the damage to the local environment. Of every item sold, 80% of the sale price goes to the artisan, with the remaining 20% going to the running of the cooperative.

Link to website: http://tigoungnonma.org/en/

I can't imagine how amazing it must be for Salman to be able to learn and gain so much knowledge through this volunteering! I am envious that he's having a once in a lifetime experience and able to learn another culture. Keep up the amazing work and I am expecting you to make me something now!

I hope you guy's enjoyed this post as it is something different! Please do have a look on the website, there are some amazing pieces of work on there which are beautiful. Also if you would like to keep up to dated with Salman's journey in Burkina Faso then click this link! 

Lot's of love xo