Skip to content
Sahel
Menu
  • About
  • Techniques
  • Projects
  • Videos
  • Contact
Menu

Community Development with SAHEL Design

Posted on 26 February 2015 by Charlie

SAHEL Design is about people and products. We make beautiful, unique accessories that can’t be found elsewhere. Then we sell them and reinvest the profits into the communities that made them. We don’t accept charity or ‘pity purchases’ and we don’t want to impose our own ideas on how these communities should develop. They, not us, decide what resources they want.

I recently took a trip back to Burkina Faso to greet a few of the crafts people we are working with and see how our profits are being spent. The most recent investment was this millet grinding machine (main pic), which saves the women hours of pounding by hand. They have more time for other chores and there’s no danger of anyone going without supper with this available to them. It was also great to see these other resources we have bought:

The pump we installed with Friends in Action last May is in full working order and I am told has the sweetest water in the village!
The pump we installed with Friends in Action last May is in full working order and I am told has the sweetest water in the village!
Ussman our weaver used his profits from weaving placemats to buy a motorbike. Ussman is an old man and the 24km bicycle ride into town was getting too much for him.
Ussman our weaver used his profits from weaving placemats to buy a motorbike. Ussman is an old man and the 24km bicycle ride into town was getting too much for him.
Jacques, who makes our bags in Ouagadougou, now has this second leather sewing machine. He is able to take on an apprentice with this and take on larger orders. It is a good investment for his business which he dreams of growing.
Jacques, who makes our bags in Ouagadougou, now has this second leather sewing machine. He is able to take on an apprentice with this and take on larger orders. It is a good investment for his business which he dreams of growing.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Archives

  • October 2018
  • June 2017
  • November 2016
  • August 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • May 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • November 2012
  • May 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • December 2011
©2025 Sahel | Built using WordPress and Responsive Blogily theme by Superb