In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we shine a light on the relentless commitment and passion of Marie Roberte Laurent. As part of Winrock International’s Farmer-to-Farmer program, Marie embarked on an inspiring journey to Senegal, leveraging her extensive expertise in soap-making to train and empower women.

Assignment Overview

Marie’s assignment, our 247th in Senegal, occurred from July 2, 2019 to July 19, 2019. Partnered with the National Agency Of The House Of Tools (ANAMO) and the Tools House Of Mekhe, the primary objective was to train women from various villages on soap-making using agricultural products. The initiative was about crafting soap and instilling confidence, entrepreneurship, and self-sustainability among the participants.

Soap Making in Action

The journey began with meetings and assessments to ensure the right tools and raw materials were available for training. Marie met with stakeholders, understanding their needs and aligning her teaching methods accordingly.

The heart of the assignment was a six-day intensive training program where Marie shared her experiences, technical knowledge, and soap-making secrets with 32 eager women. Participants learned to make various types of soap, including Neem, Moringa, Charcoal, Turmeric, and hotel soap. By the end, each group managed to create their unique soap, a testament to the success of the training.

Nevertheless, Marie’s commitment did not end there. She recognized the lack of access to coconut oil, a crucial ingredient for soap-making, and demonstrated how to produce it. She even tapped into the local environment, showcasing how to craft mosquito repellents from available Neem trees.

Heartfelt Acknowledgment

Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. Mr. Cheikh SY, Coordinator of House of Tools Mekhé, shared: “We had the honor of participating in your soap training held in the Mekhé house of tools… This experience was very enriching and will necessarily help the participants to excel in the soap factory.” 

Similarly, Mr. Cisse, Director of Operation ANAMO, remarked on the success, emphasizing that the training exceeded their expectations and reinforced the agency’s commitment to support women groups in their soap-making endeavors.

As we celebrate the diverse tapestry of cultures and contributions this Hispanic Heritage Month, Marie Roberte Laurent stands as a beacon of what one person’s passion and knowledge can achieve. Her initiative in Senegal has imparted skills and sown seeds of self-reliance and empowerment. We salute Marie for her outstanding contribution and for epitomizing the spirit of giving and sharing.

Winrock International has completed yet another robust and empowering project in conjunction with the women’s collective of Haldi Potti! This initiative was actualized through the synergistic collaboration of Winrock International’s Farmer-to-Farmer Program and the assiduous volunteer efforts of Mr. Stephen Wood. Haldi Potti represents an industrious women’s assembly encompassing 155 members who constitute the nucleus of the Economic Interest Group (GIE). This formation was facilitated under the auspices of a Peace Corps volunteer. Engaged in the rigorous pursuit of agricultural activities, these women are instrumental in cultivating and processing various crops, including fonio, corn, and peanuts. With the establishment of the GIE, they have earned the eminent status of on-site buyers—a transformational development enabling each woman, along with other contributors engage in activities such as fonio cultivation, mango orchard tending, and harvesting of wild fruits like shea nuts and baobab in Ségou, to directly negotiate and transact their produce with the collective.

Under the scholarly guidance of the volunteer, Mr. Stephen Wood, the host community embarked on an intellectual expedition into international standards, conducting meticulous analyses of diverse fonio products. Embracing a cosmopolitan outlook, the community initiated dialogues with industry visionaries, such as Pierre Thiam of Yolélé, to dissect advanced processing techniques and to pinpoint nascent market vistas. Utilizing their existing well-endowed infrastructure, the host community exhibited an ardent zeal in probing further mechanization possibilities. Motivated by the aspiration to augment product quality while concurrently aligning with the avant-garde advancements in the agricultural arena, they conceptualized a gamut of innovative fonio-based commodities, from scrumptious pilafs to savory chips. This inventive expansion enriched their product assortment and ignited novel concepts to amplify their market presence through actively cultivating relationships with prospective buyers. These alliances stand on the brink of considerably augmenting their revenue flows.

As articulated by Salimatou Diallo, “This training has shed light on the potential of fashioning various sub-products from fonio. Of particular distinction are fonio-based chips, a nutritive alternative for our progeny, and an exhilarating prospective market.” From May 10, 2023, to May 21, 2023, the intellectual and practical odyssey undertaken with Haldi Potti has been delineated by profound revelations, avant-garde ideation, and exceptional growth. The latent potential unleashed through this instructional engagement is situated to burgeon into something of extraordinary significance.

The world of agriculture is vast and diverse, embracing not just the cultivation of crops but also the numerous creative ways in which these resources can be utilized. Recently, a unique Farmer-to-Farmer project carried out under the aegis of Winrock International has illustrated this eloquently.

In this remarkable initiative, our committed volunteers, Mrs. Ndeye Fatou Ba, and Mr. Robert Spencer, collaborated to impart artisanal soap-making skills to the community of GPM Mankou in Senegal. The primary objective was to enable the beneficiaries to diversify their income sources and elevate the quality of their existing products.

Mrs. Ba, our national volunteer, led the hands-on training activities, sharing soap-making recipes provided by the remote volunteer, Mr. Spencer. This potent mix of local and international knowledge provided a rich learning environment for the participants.

Their combined approach was centered around using local agricultural products, focusing on hygiene and quality standards. The duo demonstrated resourcefulness in their teaching methods, ensuring understanding and effectively overcoming language barriers with professional translations.

The response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. Participants demonstrated an infectious enthusiasm, actively engaged in the training sessions, and raised pertinent questions to deepen their understanding. They grasped the transformational potential of their agricultural resources, appreciating the capacity to turn ordinary plants and herbs into valuable artisanal soaps.

Some participants have already expressed interest in forming a “soapwort team” or working group to apply their newly acquired knowledge further. The aim? To take this newfound craft to new heights and add an impressive dimension to their agricultural work.

The impact of this Farmer-to-Farmer project is best captured by the words of Madame Mariama BA, who is responsible for the women’s committee of GPM Mankou. She shares, “We will now be able to add more value to our plants and herbs. We have a lot of different things we can use to make soap, and they are medicinal. This soap-making training really opened our eyes to let us know we are in a rich environment. Thank you to Mrs. Ba and Robert Spencer.”

This transformative project by Winrock International demonstrates the immense possibilities of combining agricultural practices with ingenuity and creativity. Through this initiative, we are proud to contribute to the enrichment of local communities, promoting economic diversity, and enhancing the standard of their goods. Here is to more successes, learnings, and breakthroughs in the journey ahead!

At Winrock International, we believe in empowering communities by enabling them to be self-sufficient and equipping them with the necessary tools to build and strengthen their organizations. One of our most successful projects is the Farmer-to-Farmer program in Senegal, where we aim to improve the organizational development skills of the ANAMO group members. The objective is to teach, inspire, and enable these farmers to manage and operate their group effectively, transforming them into efficient producers and processors. Our project encompassed broad and comprehensive training covering various crucial aspects. These included understanding roles and responsibilities, honing leadership skills, improving decision-making processes, enhancing communication, and mastering conflict resolution. We also delved into the complex yet rewarding areas of group dynamics, advocacy, transparency, accountability, and administrative and financial management. Each of these areas is a vital cog in the organizational machine, and their mastery ensures the smooth functioning of any group.

The training was designed to do more than impart knowledge. We wanted to equip the participants with organizational capacity tools that would enable them to survive and thrive. By fostering these skills, we aimed to empower the group members to develop income-generating activities, collaborate with partners, and strengthen their network, all while involving all group members in the process. The topics requested by the participants – such as leadership, communication, conflict resolution, and entrepreneurship – were successfully developed and presented. This ensured that the training was tailored to their needs, and it was rewarding to see its tangible impact on their activities. In the words of the Coordinator of ANAMO Thienaba, Mamadou Diallo, “We have been fortunate to receive this training. It allowed us to get connected and develop our network. Now, I will lead the House of Tool I manage differently in terms of its functioning.” These words encapsulate the transformative impact of the Farmer-to-Farmer initiative.

As we continue to work with the ANAMO group members, seeing the ripple effect of the training sessions is inspiring. The knowledge and skills gained benefit the participants and their communities. It is a testament to the power of education and the strength of a community when it has given the right tools to grow. At Winrock International, we are dedicated to creating and supporting initiatives that make fundamental, sustainable changes in communities worldwide. The Farmer-to-Farmer project in Senegal is just one of the many ways we are striving to make a difference, and we are excited to see the lasting impacts of our work in the years to come.

A successful mission is always anchored in effective communication. Yet, the beauty of human connection lies in its boundless nature. Even when we speak disparate languages, a shared intent can lead to an enriching discourse. A hodgepodge of words, laughter, and good-natured gestures can create a rhythm of its own, constructing bridges of understanding where once language barriers stood.

Imagine stepping into an unfamiliar environment professionally, armed not with a complete linguistic toolbox but a raw determination to communicate. Often, we find ourselves in such settings, unacquainted with the local dialect, reliant on a well-meaning translator who cannot shadow our every interaction. This is where we are challenged to engineer these bridges of human connection using whatever resources we possess. Yet, the essence of communication transcends mere words. Our most potent tools are non-verbal: a sincere smile, an open posture, and expressive hand gestures. These universal tokens can pave the way to understanding even when we engage with strangers who do not share our language. Our shared human curiosity and will to connect can spark a rapport that sets effective communication in motion.

Every new environment is an invitation to heightened awareness. The unfamiliar becomes an orchestra of new sounds, scents, and sights, a sensory adventure urging us to learn more, live deeper, and embrace every experience. The joy of such open-hearted exploration forms the foundation of our assistance to others in myriad forms. At the end of the day, the privilege to serve our fellow humans fuels our endeavors. The degree of success in any venture is intimately tied to the intention behind the effort, reaffirming that circumstances do not dictate outcomes.

Take my experience in the rural district capital of Fatick, Senegal. Upon arrival, I discovered that the only available water source was a scantily mounted outdoor faucet, dispensing merely a pencil-thin stream of water. Undeterred, we used this meager flow to operate a canning kitchen, illustrating that our determination was our most potent resource, leading us to success against the odds. By embracing the universal language of empathy and resilience, we can turn any challenge into a victory, drawing a map of human connection that transcends geographical and linguistic boundaries.