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.

The story of the Federation of Horticulture Union in Upper Guinea Kankan (FUMA-HG) and its impact on empowering individuals, including those with disabilities, through horticulture is truly inspiring. It highlights the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and the transformative effect they can have on communities, particularly in regions facing economic challenges. 

The success of FUMA-HG can be attributed to its determination, dedication, and collaboration with organizations like Winrock, which provide valuable support and expertise through initiatives like Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer assignments. By focusing on areas such as agricultural extension and training, horticultural product processing, and cooperative improvements, FUMA-HG has not only enhanced its members’ skills and productivity but also promoted the overall development of Guinea’s horticulture industry. F2F volunteers have contributed to FUMA-HG’s efforts by providing training on seed production techniques, agroecology, and phytosanitary safety. Greater knowledge and advanced skills in these areas have enabled FUMA-HG members to become more efficient and self-sufficient while also reducing expenses on inputs, ultimately improving their income and livelihoods. 

In addition to this training, partnerships with various organizations like Winrock have opened the door to new opportunities and resources for FUMA-HG members, enabling them to specialize in seed production, organic fertilizers, and other areas. The resulting boost in the organization’s productivity and food security has fostered a more prosperous environment for all its members, including those with disabilities. According to FUMA-HG member Mamady Kaba, “The only choice for disabled people in Guinea is begging or staying at home doing nothing. I’m a father, I refuse to be dependent. That’s why I prefer to be a member of FUMA-HG and work in the fields to feed my family.” 

By creating opportunities for individuals to engage in meaningful work and contribute to their families and communities, FUMA-HG is breaking the barriers that have limited the options available to people with disabilities in Guinea. 

In the sprawling green campus of the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT) in Nigeria, a unique educational alliance blossomed, marking a pivotal moment in the academic journey of many. At the heart of this collaboration were two distinguished figures: Dr. Jessica Briskin and Dr. Tutaleni I. Asino. Their quest? To boost the proficiency and range of blended learning among Nigerian educators.

The endeavor was an evolution of a Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) assignment titled “Building Faculty Pedagogical Skills to Effectively Deliver AET Curricula.” An earlier volunteer recommendation noted the importance of regular teacher training workshops and a dedicated platform for online pedagogical education.

For three days, the duo held workshops focusing on the essence of online education and blended learning. They stressed the cardinal role of clear learning objectives. However, a realization struck: many needed to grasp teaching philosophies or the know-how to draft these objectives. Consequently, day two pivoted, introducing educators to the art of crafting these goals and, later, to tools instrumental for data collection, analysis, presentation, and integrating interactivity. F2F volunteers Dr. Briskin, and Dr. Asino did more than lean on high-tech or expensive solutions. They championed tools that were user-friendly, freely accessible, and within the college’s reach, encapsulating the essence of true education: accessibility and adaptability. On the fourth day, the scholars shifted their focus to the students. This shorter session concentrated on popular platforms like Google Forms, Google Sheets, and Google Slides, aimed to fortify students’ data collection, analysis, and presentation skills. Interwoven were discussions on the challenges and promises of blended learning, an invaluable perspective for these future thought leaders.

The assignment’s resonances were multifaceted. For Dr. Asino, it spotlighted the universality of educational challenges, breaking the myth that specific geographies inherently possess a higher pedagogical acumen. The Nigerian experience, for him, was a testament to educators’ shared struggles and aspirations worldwide. He cherished the camaraderie forged with collaborations already in the pipeline. For Dr. Briskin, her debut volunteering gig with Winrock was transformative. She marveled at the drive and zest of the FCFMT’s faculty and students, echoing the sentiments of one student: “We cannot be stuck doing what we did yesterday because we will miss tomorrow’s treasures.” The endeavor was not just about imparting knowledge; it was a two-way street. Briskin herself departed with invaluable insights on the digital age’s nuances and the diffusion of innovation.

This collaboration, while time-bound, has sown seeds for future partnerships and a shared commitment to excellence in education. For the faculty and students at FCFMT, the ripples of this endeavor will be felt for years to come as they navigate the evolving landscape of blended learning with newfound expertise and enthusiasm.

We were inspired by Global Entrepreneurship Week (Nov. 8-14) and are excited to share the success of a youth entrepreneur in Guinea who has expanded her product line thanks to support received from Winrock’s Farmer-to-Farmer program. Enterprise Fatou et Kadija (EFK), a startup company in Guinea led by a young woman named Fatou Titine Cissoko, is gaining success by providing juice and jam products that meet market demand and quality standards.

Ms. Cissoko was trained in entrepreneurship topics by prior USAID-funded Associate Awards implemented by Winrock International and CNFA. As part of her participation in entrepreneurship

Ms. Cissoko displaying new product offerings from EFK after receiving F2F technical training.

training, Ms. Cissoko created a business plan and received a grant of US$ 900 (8,134,500 GNF) to start her fruit drying business, EFK.  Since starting the business in 2019, she has added the production of drinks and jams made from fruits such as ginger, pineapple, mango, etc.

Recognizing that she needed further technical and organizational capacity-building skills to grow her business, Ms. Cissoko reached out to the Guinea Farmer-to-Farmer program to receive

trainings in financial literacy and food processing and preservation to better produce tropical fruit drinks.

“During the financial literacy training, I learned how to approach financial institutions with my business plan. I admit that I was afraid because these institutions are very demanding, and as a young entrepreneur, I have no guarantees to offer. Nevertheless, following my meeting with them, two of the most important banks in the area came back to me and offered me credit opportunities…”, explains Ms. Cissoko. She plans to utilize a finance option soon to invest in expanding her production and feels that the banks’ willingness to offer her credit options offers an opportunity to prove that young entrepreneurs are solid investments.

The Farmer-to-Farmer technical training focused on processing techniques followed the financial literacy capacity building and has led to additional product offerings for EFK. Prior to receiving training, EFK was unable to produce quality ginger juice and jams. Since receiving training, EFK now produces and sells quality ginger juice, jams, and monkey bread juice, resulting in a 40 to 50% increase in profits. EFK has sold more than 300 bottles of monkey juice alone within the few months after learning of this new product from the Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer.

Ms. Cissoko and EFK’s goals are to continue to expand product offerings that meet quality standards and hope as the business grows that they are able to employ more young staff in the future.

We were fortunate to spend two weeks in Nepal working with Professor Binayak Rajbhandri and HICAST University, helping them to enhance their Masters in Agribusiness curriculum that will help develop entrepreneurship skills in their students.  We were both drawn to the program due to our collective experiences in entrepreneurship, higher education, and agribusiness.  Over the two weeks, we met with HICAST students, faculty, and staff as well as local business leaders to discover the gaps in the current curriculum and make recommendations on new courses and content that would help to develop a spirit of entrepreneurship within the institution and student body.

Kate and Frieda consulting with HICAST Agri-business students

Through the assistance of Winrock staff, Chhan Bhattachan and Dr. Vrigu Duwadi, we were able to speak with several students within the program to hear their opinions and discover ways they thought the program could be more applicable to the real-world business environment and not solely on theory delivered via textbook and lecture.  Since most students work full time and appreciate the idea of applied learning their feedback was helpful in understanding the gaps in the current curriculum.

Kate and Frieda final presentation to HICAST senior team

We were also lucky to meet with members of Kathmandu’s agribusiness community to better understand the knowledge and skills students traditionally lack when entering the workforce.  Business owners believe that graduates lack real-world experience and struggle to convert the theories they learn in school to the applications needed in the workplace. They want to see graduates come out with more real-world experience and applicable knowledge.

Kate and Frieda with Dr. Binayak in assignment planning meeting

Lastly, we met with several members of the HICAST faculty to comprehend the courses they taught as well as the delivery method of the content.  We learned that faculty in Nepal universities are not full time, rather they work in full-time jobs and often teach classes on the side.  As a result, they rarely have time to make curriculum changes, spend time on paperwork or facilitate educational opportunities outside the classroom.  These time constraints pose a considerable barrier to implementing a more robust curriculum dependent on experiential learning, which we deemed necessary to create a more entrepreneurial system.

We presented our findings to the HICAST leadership during a lively discussion. We acknowledged that some of our recommendations could be implemented immediately and that some would involve a much “bigger lift”, including cultural change and a new way of doing things throughout the institution. On the more immediate side, we recommended focusing on class discussion, using real-world case studies, and including current technology in the classroom. We also suggested including course content such as leadership, creativity, value chain analysis and a regional business environment class.  All of which would help to develop the critical thinking skills that are necessary for an entrepreneur. On the longer-term side, we recommended the creation of two applied to learn courses, one that would involve students creating and running their own businesses and one that would involve students solving real business issues for real clients.

Dr. Binayak (middle of Kate and Frieda) in group picture with HICAST team

Since Nepal is a relatively risk adverse country when it comes to business, we hope that our recommendations can help students become more comfortable with risk and consider starting their own businesses.  At the center of economic development in any country is the development of new business which creates jobs and in turn puts more money back into the local economy. For the right individual, Nepal has a lot of entrepreneurial opportunity within the agribusiness industry.  We hope that our recommendations can help HICAST develop a curriculum that gives students the skills and confidence to create their own business which will contribute to the development of Nepal’s economy.