Commonly called « TON in Baraka », the tontine is an association of people generally composed of women united by the bonds of friendships, neighborhoods and family, which most often involve money or something in kind accepted by all the members.
In Baraka, all women engage in small business activities in the market or in the neighborhood to provide for family and household needs. These women to secure the revenue from the trade participate in one or two monthly and weekly tontines in the neighborhood. In Baraka, there are nearly 8 tontines run by women leaders of opinions and accepted by the other members. We went to meet the tontine managed by Mrs Fatou Sy in Baraka. Fatou Sy tells us how she runs the tontine:
« We have created this rotary tontine for four years and we are twenty-six (26) women to save and secure our recipe And stop the waste of money for trivialities. So every Saturday we meet with the one who must receive the amount of the tontine following a draw to the previous tontine. At the time of the payment each member pays 2 500 FCFA or 3.8 EUR per week. The winner of the day will receive 65 000 FCFA or 99 EUR. Apart from paying the fee, we talk to each other about the problems in our neighborhood and for some time we have been trying to see how we can further develop our activity and increase the amount of the tontine and face the Cité Baraka project which is supported By our Blonde Mother Madame Ambassador Ute Ohoven « .
Besides these weekly tontines, women also join monthly tontines of 10 000 FCFA (15.2 EUR) which allow them to end up with 200 000 FCFA (305 EUR) for 20 members. These tontines allow women to live in solidarity despite cultural and ethnic diversity. The women members of a tontines also help during family ceremonies such as weddings, baptisms, funerals. According to the beneficiary of the day Mariama BA « the tontine is for me a way to see the profitability of my activity. Thanks to the small trade of I lead to the primary school of Baraka, I manage to save 500 FCFA (0.08 EUR) every day to respect the contribution of 2500 five days after. It is with the money of the tontine that I manage to support the needs of my family especially my children in school. « Without the tontine, life would still be very difficult testify the women of Baraka because it is the Tontine which allows us to realize a good part of our dreams.
With the project « Cité Baraka » supported by the YOU-Foundation Baraka women want to consider creating the « tontine monthly rent » to help the takers (men and women) to face the new life. As if to say that the women of Baraka are ready to accompany the project « Cité Baraka »
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