EWB will apply an integrated approach of various educative programs, each of which has been separately proved its effects in Africa: literacy campaign, basic life-skill training, HIV/AID prevention education, income-generating skill training, and micro-credit for income-generation activities with micro-scholarship. The ground work to reduce poverty in Burkina Faso lies in improving women’s competence, welfare and status. We plan to support a good number of community-based learning centers in 45 provinces in Burkina Faso. The projected recipients are 10,000 adults (75% women, 25% men) and their children. The Figure 1 shows the composition of the integrated program.

Figure 1 EWB’s integrated approach


The primary goals of these centers are: (a) to increase literacy among women, (b) to provide them with knowledge and information concerning HIV/AIDS prevention and general health and sex education, and (c) to provide learning opportunities to acquire income generating skills.


Our long-term goal is to utilize these community-based learning centers as a focal point to provide resources and opportunities to maintain these improved living conditions. Specifically, we plan (1) to provide contraceptives (condoms) and nutrition supplements to improve general health conditions,(2) to provide micro-credit loans to disadvantaged women to launch small businesses, (3) to grant small scale scholarships to children to promote education of their children.