These days, Guiré Salimata finds herself busy running a successful restaurant and providing for her five children. In 2013, before Guiré began participating in Boulkon Epicenter Microfinance Program with The Hunger Project-Burkina Faso, her restaurant was just a small shop serving rice, soup and beans in the village market. Since obtaining a 50,000 CFA franc loan and attending workshops, Guiré says she has been able to grow her business and become “a great restaurant owner in this market.”
Guiré lives in Koussago village, in the Kirsi commune in central Burkina Faso. Her husband works as a farmer while two of her children attend secondary school and three are in primary school.
With the microfinance loan, Guiré was able to purchase and cook more food to sell every day, increasing her client base and her profits. She was also able to purchase a bicycle to save time on her commute, pay for school fees, purchase school supplies and clothing for her children, and purchase medicine, condiments and cereal to improve the health and nutrition of her family.
After just one year, Guiré grew her business enough to pay back her original loan and accrued interest. She hopes to continue expanding her restaurant business and contributing to her family’s health and education.
As for her experience with The Hunger Project-Burkina Faso, Guiré just wanted to say thank you. She hopes that The Hunger Project continues its work in assisting communities like her own in fighting hunger and poverty.
This Mother’s Day, empower mothers like Guiré with a special investment in The Hunger Project.
Q3 2016
