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As it happens everyday before the sun sets, the women of Felane get together around the well to gather water.
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The women of Felane gather together around the well everyday before sunset to fill their water cans. After the solar power station opened in 2016,
women don’t need to pull the water with robes anymore, now the station produces enough energy to have a water pump that pulls up the water.
women don’t need to pull the water with robes anymore, now the station produces enough energy to have a water pump that pulls up the water.
^
The women's cooperative from Felane work altogether in their garden to get the soil ready to grow vegetables during the rainy season. The cooperative
is known as “Ndefleng”, which literally means “working as one”. They are 127 members and the garden is just one of the many side benefits of the small
solar ice factory opened in 2016.
is known as “Ndefleng”, which literally means “working as one”. They are 127 members and the garden is just one of the many side benefits of the small
solar ice factory opened in 2016.
^
Youssoufa Diouf (25) cleans the solar panels every morning before the sun rises. Youssoufa works as a technician for the women's cooperative in Felane.
He is in charge of the maintenance of the solar power station. He earns between 7.000 and 20.000 CFA per month (10- 30€ per month). “I know is not much,
but I believe in this business and I am very happy to be back home”. Before his job as a technician for the women's cooperative in Felane, Youssoufa was
working as a builder in Tambacounda. He was forced to emigrate due to the lack of work in Felane, as many other young people from the village.
He is in charge of the maintenance of the solar power station. He earns between 7.000 and 20.000 CFA per month (10- 30€ per month). “I know is not much,
but I believe in this business and I am very happy to be back home”. Before his job as a technician for the women's cooperative in Felane, Youssoufa was
working as a builder in Tambacounda. He was forced to emigrate due to the lack of work in Felane, as many other young people from the village.
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Ndeye Diouf, a member of the women's cooperative in Felane, cleans and supervises the vegetables in the garden to prevent worms and insects
ruin their production.
ruin their production.
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Ndeye Bineta Cissé (28 years old), member of the women’s cooperative in Felane, works selling the ice in the village. She sells the bag for 150 CFA (0,20€).
With the bag of ice that she sells is possible to fill a cooling box.
With the bag of ice that she sells is possible to fill a cooling box.
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Youssoufa Diouf (25) empties the ice machine to stock the production in a bigger fridge nearby.
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Mama Diouf (around 60 years old) stocks the ice in the fridges where they keep the ice to sell. Mama Diouf is the president of the GIE (groupe d'intérêt
économique = cooperative) Ndefleng, composed by 127 women from the Village of Felane, who manage the solar power station to produce ice.
économique = cooperative) Ndefleng, composed by 127 women from the Village of Felane, who manage the solar power station to produce ice.
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Mbissane Nning, technical director of the renewable energy project in Felane, reviewing the solar power station installed in Felane in 2016.
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Ousman Diouf, a fisherman from Felane, goes to the ice factory to fill in his coolbox as part of his daily routine before he goes fishing. Here, a litre of ice
costs a third of what he would pay in one of the neighbouring towns.
costs a third of what he would pay in one of the neighbouring towns.
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Ousman Diouf, gets ready before his departure. He loads his coolbox filled with “white gold” onto his cart, urges his horse on with a click of his tongue
and drives off to his pirogue.
and drives off to his pirogue.
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Ousman Diouf goes fishing everyday. Sometimes he brings his son Mouhammed to teach him the fishing techniques that one day he will use
when he finishes school and he becomes a fisherman.
when he finishes school and he becomes a fisherman.
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Lots of telephones get charged in the solar power station of Felane. The solar power station produces enough energy to charge telephones, radios
and computers. The group of women offer the service of charging electronic devices such as telephones or computers for 50 CFA each (0,07€).
and computers. The group of women offer the service of charging electronic devices such as telephones or computers for 50 CFA each (0,07€).
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As a secondary activity of revenue for the cooperative of women in Felane, they also sell lighting solar kits with the money that they earn with the sell of ice.
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Ndeye Bineta Cissé (28 years old) buys and sells other products with the money that she earns as an ice seller at the solar power station of Felane.
She invests her earnings in soap and washing powder that she later sells in the village.
She invests her earnings in soap and washing powder that she later sells in the village.
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Ndeye Bineta Cissé (28) with her children Sidi, Fatou and Reme, the baby, in Felane. Bineta is a member of the women’s cooperative in Felane.
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Mouhammed and his brother Ousman, as many other children from Felane, start to get responsibilities from a very early age. They drive their father’s
cart and they learn to fish during the weekends and school holidays. Mouhammed and Ousmane want to become fishermen when they get old.
cart and they learn to fish during the weekends and school holidays. Mouhammed and Ousmane want to become fishermen when they get old.
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Issaga Hamadi Ka (58) at his small shop in Felane, where the people from the village can buy products such as milk, bread, butter or batteries.
He owns as well the baker of Felane. “Sales have gone up gradually since the cooperative of women opened the solar power station in the village.
People now have more money and they buy more products in my shop”
He owns as well the baker of Felane. “Sales have gone up gradually since the cooperative of women opened the solar power station in the village.
People now have more money and they buy more products in my shop”
^
The cooperative of women from Felane work altogether in their garden to get the soil ready to grow vegetables during the rainy season. The women’s
cooperative is known as “Ndefleng”, which literally means “working as one”. They are 127 members and the garden is just one of the many side benefits
of the small solar ice factory opened in 2016.
cooperative is known as “Ndefleng”, which literally means “working as one”. They are 127 members and the garden is just one of the many side benefits
of the small solar ice factory opened in 2016.
^
Mama Diouf (in her 60’s) is the president of the GIE (group d’interet economique = cooperative) Ndefleng, composed by 127 women from of Felane.
They became the business woman of the village and they produce ice with solar energy, among other activities.
They became the business woman of the village and they produce ice with solar energy, among other activities.
^
Fish stall at the port of Ndakhonga. The fish market is managed by a women’s cooperative who buy and sell the fish by the port. The example of Félane
is having a ripple effect within the region. Visitors like the fishmongers from neighbouring Dakhonga are very taken by the idea and are going away saying,
‘We want an ice factory too.’
is having a ripple effect within the region. Visitors like the fishmongers from neighbouring Dakhonga are very taken by the idea and are going away saying,
‘We want an ice factory too.’