Songtaaba is born with the will to “ do something for the women ”. The association began by the production of soap in 1992. A few years later, Songtaaba decided to invest in the shea butter production, taking advantage of the traditionnal knowledge of the women’s own mothers.

The Songtaaba women learned to produce shea butter and began their business by collecting themselves the nuts in the villages around Ouagadougou.

In 2004, the shea butter project of Songtaaaba concerns 11 villages and gives a complementary income to more to 3.100 women, income which is immediately reinvested in the families life conditions improvement.

Purchasing

For the traditionnal butter, Songtaab-Yarglé purchases the nuts at a price fixed by the women unions of Siglé and Boussé depending on profitability criteria established by the sellers themselves. This is a guarantee of a fair retribution for the collectors.

For the organic butter, Songtaab-Yalgré buys the harvests of the women of the 6 villages certified at a guaranted price for the totality of the harvest for an amount of 250 CFA Francs. This price can be compared to the maximum price observed on the traditionnal markets in Burkina Faso in winter: 60 FCFA.

Working conditions

The women employed on the production site of Karipur are paid based on the quantities produced, 750 FCFA for 20 kg. The women employed on the Karibio production site receive, 1500 FCFA for 20 kg.

On average, a woman produces about 100 kg per day, giving a daily wage of 3750 FCFA for the traditionnal butter and 7500 FCFA for the organic butter.

For information, the monthly minimum wage in Burkina Faso is 32800 FCFA per month i.e. 1650 FCFA per day (Only 20% of the Burkinabe people work for the public administration or the official private sector.)

Trainings

Songtaab-Yalgré proposes several kind of training programs to its members :
- technical trainings linked to the production of shea butter and the collection of shea nuts,
- more general trainings of management and alphabetisation,

Songtaaba has built in 10 villages an alphabetisation center for the women.

In addition, Songtaab-Yalgré supports a theatre company established in the centre of Ouagadougou which plays some pedagogical plays (AIDS prevention, family planning, family life) in the villages.