Projects

The greatest challenges facing eco-enterprises are a lack of access to knowledge, networks, financing and high-quality business development services and poor enabling conditions, including a shortage of skilled people at the community level.

In urban areas, hygiene and sanitation are an ongoing struggle because of increasing urbanization and the resulting growth in household waste. Aside from the unbearable odour of rotting garbage that affects the daily life of residents, such waste attracts insects, rodents and reptiles capable of transmitting disease.

Cashew industry waste (currently about 2,000 tons/year, with the potential to increase to 15,000 tons/year) is a sustainable alternative to wood as a fuel for domestic and industrial needs.

“NEERE” in the local language means “pretty” or “clean”. As the project’s name suggests, its general objective is to contribute to the emergence of clean, sustainable cities through the use of integrated waste management strategies. By the end of the project, all households should be educated in responsible waste management and should be subscribed to the newly created waste management system. The project should result in a more pleasant living environment, with the removal of at least 60% of the garbage piles and dumps scattered around the communes involved.

The problem of the collection, management and disposal of waste continues to feature prominently in major towns and cities across African countries. This has led to contamination of water bodies and to the spread of waterborne diseases and other health hazards. In most African countries, waste generation is the result of a rapidly growing urban population, along with the changing patterns of production and consumption inherent to a more urban lifestyle and the consequent industrialization.

In Burkina Faso, solar energy is a sustainable alternative to electricity in terms of availability, cost and carbon emissions. Solar energy systems have not been widely adopted in the country due to barriers such as limited awareness, a high initial investment and limited access to finance. Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises do not have a clear view of their energy consumption patterns or of the opportunities to reduce their costs by using solar energy.