Panafrican News Agency

Senegal: USAID launches a program of more than 300 million CFAF for women's empowerment

Ziguinchor, Senegal (PANA) - USAID, under the program, Sabunimaa, and in partnership with the Union Santa Yalla of Ziguinchor that brings together women's organizations at the regional level, on Thursday launched a program of more than 300 million CFA francs, for the women of Casamance.

 

The program was launched in Kafountine, some 100 kilometers north-east of Ziguinchor,

 

The program will assist the women of the region for three years and will be conducted by Union Santa Yalla, which has been working in partnership with USAID for several years.
 

According to Ismaïla Camara, coordinator of the Sabunima program at USAID, this program has four components: building capacity and training, health, strengthening income-generating activities and institutional support for Union Santa Yalla and its partners, the network community radios and mutual health insurance companies from Casamance. He noted that the goal is the empowerment of women in Casamance.

 

"All the activities that are identified contribute to women's financial, intellectual and behavioral empowerment. The Union Santa Yalla is one of the first women's organizations in Casamance to create a community radio station whose goal is to contribute to conflict resolution", he says, adding that community radio" Kassumay FM '', belonging to the Union Santa Yalla and the local community radio network, will support this program that aims for peace in Casamance.
 

''In this new program, Kassumay-FM radio and the community radio network will be the relay for all activities under this program, all of which contribute to raising awareness for peace in Casamance,'' he said.
 

Aminata Mané, president of Union Santa Yalla, notes that Kassumay-FM radio plays a very important role in the vitality of the women of Casamance, because they constitute their voice.
 

"Since the establishment of this radio with the support of USAID, the women of Casamance have had a forum where they can express the problems that affect their lives. Thanks to this radio, many locks have jumped, there is no more taboo subject. So, we thank USAID officials who are constantly working for the empowerment of the Casamance woman, "she says before noting that this new program will further strengthen women's autonomy, which is today a palpable reality in various homes of Casamance.
    

"With this new program, the autonomy of the Casamance woman, already a reality in many homes in the region thanks to the first programs that USAID has funded for us, will be strengthened. We will continue to wait until we do everything for her," she says.

-0- PANA MAD/IS/KND/VAO 28June2019