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News And Highlights

August 2020 is the month that has been devoted to field visits in the three localities of the Youth Entrepreneurship Project in Burkina Faso and the Mid-Term Evaluation of its impact on the ground.

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2024 January 17th .

2023 November 1st to 30th Flare of Light monitor the impact of its work

As part of its mid-term review of its 2021-2025 strategic program, a monitoring mission was performed from 2023 November 1st to 30th to assess the impact of its wok these last two years in particular in the area of its capacity-building on entrepreneurship and mentoring. Among the main quantitative and qualitative data, the report highlights the effective impacts on the beneficiaries as actors of the program which is being realized for them and with them; the services implemented while highlighting the successful gender approach application by increasing constantly the percentage of women beneficiaries; on the institutional and partnership achievements being consolidated, on the training and mentoring assumed as well as on the enterprises created or expanded during the period including the revenu’s growth and the diversification of the finished products

2023 November 24th Flare of Light team meets

The agenda of the meeting focused on the review of the summary relating to the implementation of the 2023 Action Plan of Flare of Light – Burkina Faso and on the lessons learned from 2023 as well as on the broad outlines of the prospects for 2024. The discussion highlighted updated information on the state of achievements, guided the methods of accelerating those meeting a given challenge and retained the priority axes for 2024

2023 July 22nd Flare of Light Advisory Board meets

The Advisory Board met for its fourth (4th) annual meeting. The team welcomed the new Advisory Board (AB) member Dr Victor Prasad Karunan who brings a lot of expertise in research, training and program development in areas of sociology, psychology, human rights and youth. The discussion focused on the presentation made by the President and concluded with a few recommendations to ensure young people in particular women shall be able to go through their own

June 10th 2023. Flare of Light (FOL) Country Office Directors team meets Partners’ representatives.

On June 10th 2023, FOL team in Burkina Faso (Mr Theophane Nikyema and Mr Desire Yameogo) held a planning meeting with the representatives of Community Action for Integral Development (CAID) and of Innovative Cooperative for Optimal Nutrition (ICON). During this session, the three partners agreed on activities they will undertake together as part of the ongoing program of support to young and disadvantaged entrepreneurs in Burkina Faso in the course of the second semester of 2023.

This planning meeting is a follow-up to a previous meeting held on May 23rd 2023, during the visit of Mrs Akila Belembaogo Aggoune, Secretary Director of FOL. She met Mr Jacob Badolo, President of CAID, Mr Mamadou Ouattara, Secretary General of CAID and Mr Dramane Coulibaly, President of ICON. She was accompanied by Mr Theophane Nikyema (Country Director) and Mrs Ye Rokiatou Bougouma Ouattara, Program Coordinator. They reviewed the collaboration developed these past years and agreed to meet to brainstorm on new perspectives.

It was also an opportunity for Mr David. Santulli to visit the site of Laongo located in Ziniare city and appreciate the culture and history of Burkina Faso.
Follow-up meetings shall be organized.

May 15th to 26th 2023. Mrs Akila Belembaogo Aggoune Secretary Director of Flare of Light Board of Directors visits the country office and potential partners.

On May 23rd 2023, Flare of Light team met the technical team of UNICEF-Burkina Faso. Both agreed on a few possible areas of mutual interests and strengths to engage FOL-UNICEF’s partnership particularly on youth economic empowerment, meaningful participation and networking at community level while paying attention to youth, gender, human rights and citizenship mainstreaming.

On May 23rd 2023, Flare of Light team met the technical team of UNDP-Burkina Faso. Both agreed on the comparative advantages to work together considering FOL as a potential credible partner for a strategic collaboration with regard to youth capacity building with economic objectives while taking paying attention to gender, human rights, citizenship, resilience, financial inclusion, mentorship as well as economic, social and environmental impacts.

On May 17th 2023, Mrs Akila Belembaogo Aggoune, met the team of the country office in Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso. In a face to face meeting, the team discussed key issues on operational and programmatic matters aiming to enhance the dynamic engaged on the ground. Among the key conclusions, we note the arrangements made to ensure the country office has adequately equipped premises to use for its work and meetings.

March 8th 2023. Mr Hakim Belembaogo, Founder, President & CEO- FOL

‘’ Until the world of women does not become equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues; prosperity, sustainability and success for our communities won’t be achieved as it should be.

This special day should be a daily reminder of the importance of creating an inclusive world. It should also remind us that violence against women and girls is still widespread in all countries and remain a major impediment to the realization of girls and women’s rights. Flare of Light will continue its engagement in building equity across genders by supporting most particularly young girls and women in need of education, training, support and guidance in agribusiness and entrepreneurship as they are critical change makers for our social and economic growth.

Happy International Women’s Day to our grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, wives, daughters, partners, colleagues and friends. May 2023 and the following years expand opportunities for all girls and women in our communities and around the world’’.

United Planet visits Flare of Light Country Office in Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso

Flare of Light Country Office team led by Mr Theophane Nikyema was honored to welcome on 2022 January 14-15th Mr David Santulli, Founder of United Planet. The aim of the visit was to learn from each other and explore some relationship and potential partnerships. At the meeting held on January 15th the participants introduced their organizations and shared experiences. Were also invited supporting partners. FOL and United Planet have identified a lot of potential especially for volunteer and internship opportunities around agriculture and food transformation.

It was also an opportunity for Mr David. Santulli to visit the site of Laongo located in Ziniare city and appreciate the culture and history of Burkina Faso.
Follow-up meetings shall be organized.

Flare of Light and CNRST – IRSAT officials meet on 2022 December 13th

Donatien Kabore, Akila (Belembaogo) Aggoune, Emmanuel Nanema, Desire Yameogo.
Akila (Belembaogo) Aggoune Director Secretary of the Board of Directors of Flare of Light (FOL) representing the Founder, President and CEO of FOL Mr Nesida Hakim Belembaogo and Mr Emmanuel Nanema, Delegate General of the National Centre for the Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) cumulatively Director General of the Research Institute on Applied Sciences and Technologies met including with Mr Donatien Kabore, Chief of the Food Technologies Department of IRSAT and Mr Desire Yameogo Deputy Country Director of FOL-Burkina Faso on their cooperation program.

Mrs Akila (Belembaogo) Aggoune and Mr Emmanuel Nanema

Both officials concluded with the commitment of their institutions to increase their cooperation taking into account the complementary synergy developed between the vision and program of FOL and the missions of CNRST- IRSAT. This includes innovating through a coherent pragmatic professional training of young people on the basis of in-depth reflections to meet their individual needs through entrepreneurship in agri-business sector and to assume their role in the development of their communities. These young entrepreneurs shall be loyal to good citizenship and patriotism.

FLARE OF LIGHT AND SODEPAL – FIAT-BF MEETS ON 2022 December 12th

Mrs Akila (Belembaogo) Aggoune Director Secretary of the Board of Directors OF Flare of Light (FOL) , representing the Founder President and CEO of FOL met with Mrs Simone Zoundi, Founder of Food Products Company (SODEPAL) and President of the Federation on Agri-Food Industry and Processing of Burkina Faso (FIAT-BF).

Mrs Zoundi mentioned that the Federation has more than 150 companies and associations. This shows all the interest that the actors bring to the development of the agri-food sector because it is vital. It allows the world to fight against unemployment among young people and women.

Mrs (Belembaogo) Aggoune said ‘’We are in full convergence with SODEPAL Leader. We want to make our modest contribution in the training of young people, in mentoring them and in providing them other support measures to enable them undertake and thus get out of survival activities to take the step towards the agri-business’’

In-kind donation from State Farm mutual automobile insurance company to flare of light

Flare of Light is delighted to announce that we received on 2022 November 22nd an in-kind donation from the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company as part of its Computer Donation Program. The donation is composed of 13 laptops, 12 desktops, 25 keyboards and 25 mice. This donation shall serve adequately the training program of young entrepreneurs particularly women who have difficulties to engaging independently in agri-business.

12 August 2022. INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY ON INTERGENERATIONAL SOLIDARITY

2022, June 10th ; At the Delivery Ceremony of the certificates to young entrepreneurs who participated actively in the 2nd training on the production techniques of juices and nectars, the participants shared their feelings with FOL management team which is composed mainly of retired professionals on the immediate impact of this joined efforts.
*The training was really good. The training was great. We learned a lot of things. We learned how to make cookies, cakes, mango nectar and baobab, and I really thank you*.
*During this training, we learned a lot about good hygiene practices that will allow us to make sustainable quality products*.*I personally know how to make cookies, but it was wheat-based. I didn’t know how to formulate cookies based on local products. This training was a great asset for me to learn how to make formulations based on local products.

2022, June 1st, Flare of Light (FOL) share approaches and values with the Delegate General of the National Centre on Scientific and Technological Research.

During his mission in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 2022 June 1st, Mr Nesida Hakim Belembaogo and his delegation accompanied by a delegation led by Dr Nanema Emmanuel, Director General of the Institute of Research on Applied Sciences and Technology in Burkina Faso met Dr Koine Maxime Drabo, General Delegate of the National Center on Scientific and Technological Research. They discussed FOL action focus on youth entrepreneurship mainly of women and girls, volunteership and citizenship. Mr Belembaogo announced the decision to put in place a Youth Committee to provide young entrepreneurs a relevant mechanism to express their expectations and to contribute to the conception of FOL programs and perspectives. Both institutions discussed the importance of the approaches being promoted by FOL namely the cost-effectiveness, the youth participation, the gender equality, human rights and citizenship as well as the values of transparency, integrity, equity and accountability.

Flare of Light Founder

Flare of Light Founder, President and CEO of Flare of Light, Mr Nesida Hakim Belembaogo meets physically the Burkina Faso Country Team in Ouagadougou on 2022 June 4th after a period of meetings on the zoom platform.

Flare Of Light Board Director Secretary, A Former Minister Of Social Action and Family in Burkina Faso, Receives a Certificate of Recognition As a Model for Women.

On 2022, June 2nd , at a formal ceremony Mrs Salimata Nebie/Conombo, Minister of Gender and Family of Burkina Faso delivered to Mrs Akila Aggoune – Belembaogo a Certificate of Recognition as a former Minister of Social Action and Family ‘’for her leadership and her exceptional contribution to the development of the family and the protection of children in Burkina Faso’’. She has demonstrated her loyal services which have made it possible to achieve very appreciable results’’, said Mr Ousmane Djiguemde, the Chief of Staff. He described Mrs Akila Aggoune – Belembaogo as ‘’a competent woman, a fighter and concerned about the well-being of the woman, the child and her collaborators’’.

Flare of Light and the Ministry in Charge of Youth and Employment

After a meeting held on 2022 April 27th, between Flare of Light Country Director in Burkina Faso Mr Theophane Nikyema and the Deputy Country Director Mr Desire Yameogo with His Excellency Mr Abdoul Wabou Drabo, Minister of Sports, Youth and Employment to introduce Flare of Light, its vision, mission and program in Burkina Faso as well as to explore possible collaboration, a technical meeting was followed on 2022 May 4th by a working group which was composed of the Ministry team of Director Generals and of Flare of Light Directors team. The aim was to explore possible axes of partnership. As a result, on 2022 May 30th, a Partnership Convention was signed between Flare of Light and the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Employment

Flare of Light And The Ministry on Gender and Family

ON 2022 April 22th , Flare of Light Country Director Mr Theophane Nikyema and the Deputy Country Director Mr Desire Yameogo met Her Excellency Mrs Salimata Nebie/Conombo, Minister of Gender and Family. The aim was to introduce Flare of Light vision, mission and program in Burkina Faso as well as to explore areas of partnership. This meeting was enlarged to the Headquarters delegation on 2022 May 2nd when on mission in Ouagadougou.

FLARE OF LIGHT IN BURKINA FASO
On 2022 March 24th , Flare of Light which Headquarters is based in Pennsylvania is formally authorized to implement its activities in Burkina Faso as a Foreign Non-Government Organization through a Ministerial Decree.

FLARE OF LIGHT AND LIONS CLUB

On 2021 August 17th, Mr Nesida Hakim Belembaogo, President of Flare of Light chaired a meeting on zoom platform with his team and Mr Amadou diallo, President of Lions Club ‘’Etoile’’ in Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso They had an open discussion taking into account the complementary work of the two organizations: to contribute to the development of his community, help his neighbor and especially the most disadvantaged, take part in the challenges of the country such as education.

2021 December 13th to 23rd training

In partnership with the Institute for Research in Applied Sciences and Technology, Flare of Light is starting a series of training in the agri-food sector in Burkina Faso from December 13th to 23rd, 2021. Young people will be equipped in the processing of agricultural products.

Flare of Light’s October 2019 Workshop Begins.

Flare of Light first official workshop in Burkina Faso kicks off on Monday, October 14 th The workshop focuses on topics such as Foundations of Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Business Strategy and Negotiation, and runs from October 14-17. On the last day, the youth will have the opportunity to connect with local entrepreneurs who will share their experience.

Flare of Light’s November 2019 Workshop Begins.

Flare of Light first official training on Information, Communication and Technologies (ICTs) starts in Burkina Faso on Monday, November 18 th ! The training focuses on the use of the most recent information, communication and technologies (ICTs) and runs from November 18-21. Linking youth empowerment to entrepreneurship with these ICTs guide the vision and mission of Flare of Light.

Phase 2 of Youth Entrepreneurship Project in Burkina Faso is launched.

On February 11 th 2020, Flare of Light starts its Financial Support Program. A first group of one young woman and two young men (Aicha Alima Dembélé, Ariel Zoungrana, Dramane Bognigni) are selected on the basis of the relevance of their business plan. They shall use the grant-loan received to lead a hairdresser, a recording studio and sale of computer tools.

Flare of Light Financial Support Program offers grant-loan to three young entrepreneurs

On March 3 rd 2020, Flare of Light offers a Grant-Loan to three young entrepreneurs. Stéphanie Zoungrana shall create her mixed sewing workshop, David Compaoré will specialize its garage auto in the sale of spare parts while Lucas Badolo will grow his sale of cellular. The financial support is designated to help them use their talent, generate income and create jobs for youth.

Witnesses of Success

Aïcha Alima Dembélé.

*Thanks to the grant Loan I received, I was able to buy a solar plate. Now, I can work at night. In addition, I added other services that I could not offer without energy. Anything that increases the number of clients and the quality of services and its variety. This result in increased earnings and reduced costs through the wholesale supply of accessories*.

Ariel Zoungrana.

Thanks to the grant loan I received, I increased the capacity of my studio which shields me from cost room rental. This new capacity makes me, on the one hand autonomous and on the other hand makes me save and increase my share of profit and the increase in the number of apprentices.

David Compaoré

The entrepreneurship training and the grant loan I have received brings me great benefits. Since, I have added the systematic washing of repaired vehicles in my garage it created a need for staff. The subsidy offers me an opportunity to buy gearboxes to resell them to our customers. In addition to the profits, it allowed me to increase the number of apprentices.

Innocent Dianda

I have put in place a platform which allows me to promote my products and be in contact with my previous and new clients. The trainings on Entrepreneurship and Marketing and on ICTs helped me to exit from my comfort zone, I believe I’ m doing well. Today, I contribute to the expenses of my family. I plan to create a website, rent a store and leave my family home.

Flare of Light is strengthening the capacity of young entrepreneurs.

Flare Of Light

On July 4th 2020, Flare of Light' Country Director Mr.Theophane Nikyema and CAID President, Mr. Jacob Badolo met with six young entrepreneurs who were selected in November 2019 after being trained on ICT (Information, Communication & Technology). These six youths will provide support to their associates through peer learning. All participants have agreed to initiate a framework for action and nominate a Coordinator of the group. This approach shall accelerate the completion of all expected results. August 2020, a Mid-Term Review of the Youth Entrepreneurship Project in Burkina Faso including field visits in the three localities of the project (Ouagadougou, Koudougou and Banfora). September 2020, Flare of Light enters in partnerships with Northeastern University as a sponsor non-profit organization of the Experiential Network Program. January 2021, Flare of Light signs Protocols of Cooperation with Community Action for Integral Development, Aube Nouvelle University and Innovative Cooperative for Optimal Nutrition. January 2021, The Youth Entrepreneurship Project 2019-2020 ends with an evaluation report on achievements and lessons learned. February 2021, A Five Year Youth Entrepreneurship Program 2021-2025 is adopted. April 2021, Yé Rokiatou Bougouma-Ouattara, Program Coordinator of Flare of Light- Burkina Faso Country Office meets Secretary General of the Ministry on Youth, the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Employment.        

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