Binta’s Future is Getting Brighter

“This project has really transformed my life, and I have not imagined that I could design shoes, clothes, necklaces, and other amazing staff like these,” Says the 24-year-old Binta Diallo. She is one of the 17 beneficiaries, including a tailor, of a  youth development project, sponsored by World Vision Switzerland in Mauritania, located in Sebkha ADP, Nouakchott. It is a three year project that started in November 2012. The project is meant to give support to young women who have dropped out of school by training them on sewing and designing shoes, clothes, necklaces. In a country where more than 50% of the population are females, the UNICEF reports show that only 15% of young women finished high school.

Binta continues, “I dropped out of high school about four years ago because I could not afford the school fees. I later tried to enroll into nurse course, but I was not qualified.” After the death of her mother, Binta has been living with her eight brothers and sisters in the family house. Her daily routine for the past four years have been mainly cleaning, cooking, and looking after her sisters’ children. “However,” Binta smiling, “now I feel that this project has been contributing positively to my life at all levels. I was trained on sewing and designing different types of clothes, shoes, bags, necklaces using beads and cotton thread. The project also has been giving me an opportunity to meet and socialize with new people.” Binta expressed that she has even thought of starting her own business based on the training she received in the project: “I can use what I learnt here to start my own business in the future.” She is not only a member of the group trained in this project, but she is also the assistant of the group supervisor, Kadiatta Moussa Sy. This also has been adding to her experience in managing and running small projects.  

 The supervisor takes care of the group bank account where they keep their funds. She explains that at the moment the group only has funds to buy raw materials and pay the tailor. Kadiatta highlights the fact that this might create a challenge for most of the group members: “members are aware of the fact that although they may not be getting individual financial benefit at the moment, they are getting knowledge and experience without paying any fees or expenses.” The group now has a shop in their neighborhood, Basra, where they expose their products. They all expressed that they will work on a good marketing plan that will help them continue in their own business when the project phase-out.