Alimata packs balls of truly organic sumbala into plastic bags with slightly trembling fingers. For the first time, the fruits of her labor will be in someone else’s hands – nothing can crumble. Every movement of her worn-out hands carries the accumulated tension of recent years.

Once, producing spice for sale in these harsh, poor parts of the world would have been unimaginable. Families didn’t have enough food for themselves. Today, this place proves a simple idea – if you share, you will never lack. Every day, we see that these words are true.

The story of the village of Gourcy is about people, not numbers. People like Alimata, for whom each sold ball of sumbala represents independence, security, and restored dignity. The journey to this day was not easy, but today she can celebrate success.

The market’s demand for high-quality products is so strong that the first test batch sells out in less than a day. Production takes four to five days, and they can’t keep up with the demand. Hearing this, we initiate the purchase of 100 kg of néré seeds, from which she will make more bags of spice. Alimata’s eyes shine with the same excitement seen in children on their first day of school. She knows her children will experience this too – with the money she earns, she will provide for her family and reinvest in more seeds. She will become self-sufficient and will no longer need to ask for help.

Once a fertile cotton-growing village, Gourcy has struggled with the consequences of climate change in recent decades – the desert has encroached on the fields, taking away job opportunities. Not the will to work, as that has always been abundant here. This is the bill Burkina pays for the actions of developed countries.

We had to do something. We started by distributing four animals, a set of tools, and bags of seeds to plant, which the recipient family was to multiply and pass on to another family the following year. Today, it’s not just a garden but also a mill, a sewing workshop, and a whole educational machinery that you set in motion with us many years ago. A true Good Factory. Thank you for creating this special place with us. Who knows, maybe someday the wonderful products of the women from Gourcy will reach the European market?