Kourw©ogo: The Lucie Kabor©/Traor© Foundation launched the Kokodonda project on Monday, July 6, 2026, in Barama, in the commune of Laye, Kourw©ogo province, an initiative aimed at strengthening the economic empowerment of widows through income-generating activities.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the launch ceremony for the Kokodonda project, organized in the courtyard of the Barama school, took place under the sponsorship of the Minister in charge of Sports and under the patronage of the President of the special delegation (PDS) of the commune of Laye, Seydou Millogo. It brought together administrative, customary, and religious authorities, as well as partners and beneficiaries.
As part of the celebration of the 16th edition of the International Widows' Day (IVD), the Kokodonda project aims to improve the living conditions of widowed women by offering them opportunities to generate income and strengthening their economic capacities. This pilot phase will be gradually extended to several other localities in Burkina Faso, including Nouna, D©dougou, Kombissiri, Absuya, and Manga, to reach a larger number of beneficiaries.
The training will take place in three stages: a theoretical phase, practical exercises, and an individual production phase, with a particular emphasis on excellence and innovation. According to Denise Combary, the foundation's widow listening service manager, this initiative represents an important step in the organization's commitment to widows. "The Kokodonda project aims to help widows develop income-generating activities so that they can better take care of their families, ensure their children's education, and live with greater dignity," she explained.
For the president of the Lucie Kabor©-Traor© Foundation, Dr. Alice Zoungrana-Kabor©, this project reflects the institution's desire to provide long-term support to widows towards greater financial autonomy, while strengthening their resilience and their contribution to the socio-economic development of their communities. She indicated that the foundation aims, in the coming years, to promote training on the processing of non-timber forest products for the benefit of its members in the different regions of the country.
The PDS praised the foundation's actions in support of widows and orphans. According to him, the Kokodonda project will help strengthen the capacities of beneficiaries by giving them the means to build their financial autonomy and regain their dignity. Seydou Millogo also believed that this initiative supports the State's efforts in favor of socially disadvantaged people. While urging the beneficiaries to be diligent during the training, he pledged to support the marketing of the loincloths that will be produced as part of the project.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, Elise T. Kabor© expressed her gratitude to the Lucie Kabor©-Traor© Foundation for the attention given to the living conditions of widows. She assured that the participants would put the skills acquired to good use to make this training profitable.