Address by Mme Nagbila Aisseta, farmer, Burkina Faso

I was born in 1962, in a village of Burkina Faso named Zincko. My village is at about 100 kilometers north of Ouagadougou, the Capital City of my country.

I come from a very poor polygamous family. My father and my mother are both farmers. I am the eldest of 19 children.

In accordance with the traditions, I got married at the age of 15. I gave birth to 7 children of whom 2 died very young. Since at that time girls were not sent to school, I did not go to school. Nevertheless, thanks to The Hunger Project - Burkina Faso, other women and I were able to take literacy courses in our national language. And I am proud therefore, to read this evening my speech in front of you.

Most part of my adult life, as a wife and a mother, my role consisted in feeding and taking care of my husband and children. Indeed, everyday, I get up at 5:00 a.m. and start my day by cleaning up the house. After that, I serve breakfast to my family. Around 7 a.m., I fetch water for our daily needs. Around 10 a.m., I go to the bushes to gather wood for fuel. It is only around 12 p.m. that I will begin grinding the millet grain for the only meal of the day. After that, I go back to fetch more water. Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. I bathe the youngest of the children, give food to the family and put the children to bed. It is only around 9 p.m. that I can take a bath, eat something and then go to bed. To these daily domestic chores, the fieldwork comes in addition, especially during the rainy season. This is truly the typical life of all the women of Zincko, and perhaps of all the women farmers of Burkina Faso.

Like all my sisters in Burkina Faso, I have no right to the land nor do I have access to financial loans. This make me dependent on the goodwill of my husband, who himself is poor. Since the establishment of The Hunger Project in my village, two years ago, I can tell you that many things have changed for us women. For example, in addition to literacy courses, health and nutrition programs and access to credit, training in food processing and income generating activities, The Hunger Projectís Vision, Commitment and Action workshops taught us how to analyze and solve our problems in dignity and self-reliance. Even our husbands are very proud of that. The consequence of our regained dignity is that today more young girls are sent to school.

I thank The Hunger Project for this new initiative for the African woman food farmer. Yes, I am proud of this honor that recognizes the contributions and the value of the African woman. But above all I am proud that this special Initiative that is launched this evening will indeed support and encourage the African woman Farmer to persevere in her struggle to eliminate poverty and malnutrition. As this evening testifies clearly, we know that from now on we are no longer alone anymore in that struggle.

We will tell our governments in Africa that this Initiative of The Hunger Project is a strong appeal to them to seriously take into account the vital role that the African woman food farmer plays in the social and economical development of our countries, and give her give her the constant support she deserves.

I cannot conclude without expressing once again my profound gratitude to The Hunger Project for honoring through me all the women food farmers of Africa for our outstanding contributions to feeding their families, their villages and their whole nations. As soon as I get back to my country, I commit myself to sharing this honor with all women of Burkina Faso, and in particular with the women of the partner villages of The Hunger Project in Zincko, Nagréongo, and the women of the NAAM movement and indeed in other parts of Africa. Thank you.