As an international organization, Soroptimist International provides us with an opportunity to work together with trustworthy partners with whom we share the same values and goals!
Previously SI Grenaa, Denmark and Club Princesse Yennega, Burkina Faso have worked together on a project aimed at improving the kitchen facilities at two schools in the Sahel region. In 2019 the two clubs worked together again on another project, namely a project improving the conditions for women at a maternity centre in Kokologo.
The renovated kitchen ready to install new cooking devices
The patients and staff at the centre had several needs and asked for support from SI Grenaa to enable them to purchase 4 beds with mattresses and mosquito nets for the newborn babies, renovate the kitchen facilities with energy-saving stoves and a chimney to lead the smoke away from the mothers and babies. Renovate the laundry area to reduce flies and mosquitoes and unpleasant odors due to stagnant water in open air. Additionally, Club Princesse Yennega financed a much-needed roofed shelter with chairs for the patients to prevent them from having to wait outside in the hot sun.
The new roofed shelter for the patients waiting outside
The project started in March 2019 and in May they could celebrate the opening of the new facilities at the Maternity Centre with the participation of staff, patients, the local Mayor and a representative from the Danish Embassy in Ouagadougou. It is a practical example of a project successfully improving the conditions for women, patients and staff at a maternity centre. Furthermore, the improved conditions at the centre are expected to decrease the infant mortality rate in the area.
Inauguration ceremony – Members of Princesse Yennega, the Mayor, and a representative from the Danish Embassy
This project could be carried out due to the two clubs working closely together. Club Princesse Yennega identified the local needs, financed a part of the project, monitored project progress and at the end of the project checked that the actual improvements had been satisfactorily achieved. SI Grenaa financed the major part of the project and also created awareness about the project locally in Grenaa and nationally in Denmark on what Soroptimists stand for and work for: improving conditions for women worldwide.