Ouagadougou: The mining company Nordgold Niou SA handed over installation kits this Thursday in Bousse to 202 young people from the communes of Niou, Toeghin, and Bousse, at the end of a four-month professional training aimed at promoting their economic empowerment. The ceremony to hand over installation kits took place in the presence of administrative, customary, and local authorities, as well as officials from the mining company.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the beneficiaries were trained in 14 sectors, including mobile phone maintenance, solar installation, baking, catering, livestock farming, wire mesh making, car and motorcycle washing, sewing, market gardening, vulcanization, and plastic waste recycling. Their training also included a module dedicated to financial education. Each trainee received a certificate of completion and an installation kit tailored to their profession. The total cost of this first phase is estimated at 400 million FCFA.
The country director of Nordgold Niou SA, Rasmane B. Sawadogo, stated that this initiative is part of the company's desire to contribute sustainably to the development of local communities. 'Our vision goes beyond the responsible exploitation of mineral resources. We are convinced that the development of a mine must be accompanied by the development of the women and men who live alongside it,' he said. He indicated that the project plans to train 800 young people in different trades to strengthen their skills, promote their professional integration, and support the economic development of the localities concerned.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Mr. Sawadogo invited them to put the skills acquired into practice, share their experiences, and become agents of change within their communities. The High Commissioner of the Kourweogo province, Mahamadi Congo, welcomed this initiative, which, according to him, illustrates the quality of the partnership between public authorities, communities, and the private sector. He urged young people to demonstrate humility, boldness, and integrity in their professional activities, believing that these values constitute the foundations of lasting success.
The High Commissioner also encouraged the beneficiaries to create value in their localities and contribute to the economic development of the province and Burkina Faso. This handover of kits marks the end of the first wave of beneficiaries of the training and professional integration project implemented by Nordgold Niou SA for the benefit of young people from the municipalities impacted by mining activities.